TFTP block size used by Capsule servers during PXE boot is hardcoded and not configurable through the Satellite installer, Hiera, or Capsule settings.

Customers performing PXE boots across geographically distant sites (e.g., Satellite in one region, Capsule in another) have reported significant PXE boot performance improvements after manually increasing the TFTP block size parameter (e.g., -B 1468).

This RFE proposes to make the TFTP block size configurable through Satellite installer or Hiera, ensuring the configuration is persistent and consistent across all Capsules.

What & Why:

What: Allow administrators to define the TFTP block size through Satellite installer or Hiera configuration.

Why: To improve PXE boot performance across distributed environments and eliminate the need for manual, non-persistent edits.

Background and Strategic Fit

Red Hat Satellite manages content and provisioning for large, distributed infrastructures. PXE boot reliability and performance are key to provisioning efficiency, especially across WANs.

Currently, the TFTP configuration on Capsules is static and cannot be modified persistently.
Allowing this to be configurable aligns with Satellite’s goals of automation, scalability, and consistent provisioning experience.

This feature fits strategically within Satellite’s mission to provide a fully automated and centrally managed provisioning stack for enterprise environments.

Goals

Primary Goal:
Enable Satellite administrators to configure the TFTP block size for Capsules in a persistent and supported way.

Who Benefits:

Enterprise customers with distributed Capsule infrastructure

Administrators managing large-scale PXE-based provisioning environments

Outcome Difference:

Today: Manual edits to systemd unit files on each Capsule, lost on reconfiguration or upgrade.

With this Feature: Configuration managed via installer/Hiera, consistent across all Capsules, upgrade-safe, and fully automated.