The Preboot Execution Environment (PXE), pronounced "pixie," is a client/server interface that allows networked computers to be configured and booted remotely by a network administrator using ZENworks for Desktops (ZfD) 3.2 Preboot Services. This interface enables the administrator to manage client workstations on a LAN from a remote location, even if the workstations have empty disk drives.
A PXE-capable workstation, if enabled, has either a universal service agent loaded locally in its BIOS or LAN adapter, or it has ZfD Preboot Services PXE-on-Disk available on a hard drive or inserted in a floppy drive. The agent allows the workstation to interact with a remote ZfD Preboot Services server to dynamically retrieve a requested boot image across the network.