So, why do this at all? To save time and for convenience. This is important, and it is the key to making this work. When this directory is mounted locally, or if it exists as a subdirectory of an NFS mount point, then these ISOs will be treated as local files over the network. Next, download and store all Linux ISOs that you might need in a single directory of the NFS server share for easy access. We will assume that NFS is set up and running on the server and all clients. This will not be described here, but for more information about setting up NFS, please have a look at setting up NFS on an Intel NUC. This involves creating an NFS server and setting up NFS mount points on the physical computers. Here are a few of my notes regarding how to do this with VirtualBox.įirst of all, NFS must be installed. Is this possible? Yes! VirtualBox will treat an NFS directory structure as part of its local filesystem, so any ISO located over the network on a device acting as an NFS server where the ISOs are stored will install in a VM directly over the network. Is there a way to avoid the need to copy ISOs to the computers? Can we place the ISOs on a common network storage device and direct the VMM (VirtualBox, in this case) to install Linux directly from the ISO over the network? If this is possible, then all we have to do is point VirtualBox to the network ISO, and Presto! Instant installation without first copying ISOs locally. However, doing so would involve the extra step of copying multi-gigabyte ISOs to different physical computers so the VMM (Virtual Machine Monitor) can access the ISOs in order to install Linux.

I needed to create multiple Linux virtual machines from scratch (using the ISOs). Once such issue involves virtual machines located on multiple computer systems, such as servers.

NFS (Network File System) is the gift that continues to give by solving problems well in advance of their notice. Is there a way to install from ISOs located at common location on a network instead of copying multiple ISOs to various computers?” “I need to install multiple Linux virtual machines from different ISOs.

How to install linux iso