System and method for operating system installation on a diskless computing platform

A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes instructions that, when executed by a diskless computing device, cause the diskless computing device to carry out a boot operation by performing the steps of:

• computing a signature value indicating a hardware configuration of the diskless computing device based on hardware that is present in the diskless computing system;
• transmitting a login command to a server computing device, wherein the login command includes the signature value;
• receiving only a boot image from the server computing device when the server computing device recognizes the signature value, wherein the boot image is stored on the server computing device;
• receiving only an installation image by the diskless computing device when the server computing device does not recognize the signature value, no data other than the installation image is received by the diskless computing device;
• generating, by the server computing device, a new boot image that is separate and distinct from every other existing boot image when the server computing device does not recognize the signature value;
• storing the new boot image corresponding to the signature value within the server computing device when the server computing device does not recognize the signature value;
• and
• performing the boot operation using either the boot image or the installation image.

A diskless computing device, comprising:

• a memory;
• a processing unit;
• and
• firmware that includes:
• a signature generator configured to compute a signature value indicating a hardware configuration of the diskless computing device based on hardware that is present in the diskless computing system, and
• an iSCSI initiator configured to transmit a login command including the signature value to a server computing device, and to receive a boot image when the server computing device recognizes the signature value or only an installation image, and no data other than the installation image, when the server computing device does not recognize the signature value, and the server computing device is configured to generate a new boot image that is separate and distinct from each and every other boot image when the server computing device does not recognize the signature value and store the new boot image corresponding to the signature value when the server computing device does not recognize the signature value,
• wherein a boot operation is performed by the diskless computing device using either the boot image or the installation image.