Serva

Serva is a Windows-based, portable multi-server and PXE boot environment used to install operating systems over a local network. It runs without a formal installation and can be launched from a USB drive or local disk. Serva combines several server components in one package: a DHCP server to assign IP addresses, a TFTP server to serve boot files, and an HTTP server to host installation media. This setup supports PXE booting for network installations and can also deliver images to clients that boot from traditional media.

Serva can host a variety of operating system images. It supports Windows setups by serving Windows ISO contents or WIM-based installers, boot images like Windows PE, and other OS images from a central repository. The user can create a boot menu to present options to clients, enabling multi-boot deployments from a single server.

Typical use cases include IT laboratories and small to mid-size environments that require a simple, portable PXE server for OS deployment without a dedicated server infrastructure. Serva is commonly used to perform unattended or semi-automated deployments of Windows and other operating systems.

See also: PXE, Windows Deployment Services, Netboot.