What's the best way to install OS through a network server?

What OS are you trying to install?

There is no best way, what's best for you can vary depending on needs. If you're talking about a windows based network there are a couple of common options.

1. Use the RIS (Remote Installation Services) thats built into Server2000 and above. See http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000...emotesteps.asp for a step by step guide.
2. Use PXE (Pre-boot eXecution Enviornment) if you don't like the MS RIS. There are third party PXE server solutions that will allow a workstation set to boot from the NIC to auto-install the OS and Apps.
3. If the workstations are identical you can use a product like Ghost corporate to push out images to the workstations.

There are other options as well, but I've used those three methods in the past.

Alansp, we would be better equipped to give you some suggestion, if we knew what OS you were trying to install.

thanks guys, I would say, Centos, Red Hat, Windows...

Here's what I have in mind... Copy the setup folders/dir to a network drive, and have the server load it through the boot up somehow...

What OS will the server be running? You'll need to set up a PXE server, but how to do it varies depending on the OS the PXE server will be running. Also remember most OS installs will require a script of some sort if you want to run an unattended install.