FAT32 is the recommended filesystem format for a flash drive intended to boot PCs in UEFI mode because it is widely supported by UEFI firmware across different hardware platforms.

A third-party utility like Rufus or Etcher is commonly used to create a bootable USB drive from an ISO image. These tools are designed to write ISO images to USB drives, making them bootable.

BIOS/UEFI settings on client computers must be configured to enable network booting, often referred to as PXE boot. This involves setting the network card as the primary boot device, allowing the computer to seek out network-based installation media before attempting to boot from local storage.

Using an external USB drive for diagnostics and recovery aligns with the policy of avoiding internal drive tampering, providing a non-intrusive way to troubleshoot or recover systems. PXE, internal recovery partitions, and dual-boot setups involve internal system modifications or network dependencies.

Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) allows computers to boot through the network interface independently of data storage devices or installed operating systems. This method is ideal for deploying operating systems to multiple computers simultaneously, especially when they lack an existing OS, eliminating the need for physical media like USB drives or optical media.

Booting from a USB drive with a live OS allows the user to bypass the computer’s internal storage, providing a minimal operating system environment for diagnostics and troubleshooting. This method is practical for running utilities without needing the PC’s primary OS to boot.

Changing the boot order in BIOS settings to prioritize the optical drive over the hard drive or SSD is crucial for booting from optical media. Disabling Fast Boot and enabling CSM might help in some scenarios, but prioritizing the boot order directly addresses the issue. Optical Drive Emulation is not a common BIOS feature for boot issues.

USB Legacy Support enables BIOS to recognize USB devices at boot time, which is essential for booting from a USB drive.

USB drives can be used as an external boot method to install operating systems. They are portable, widely supported, and can carry OS installation media, making them a convenient choice for installations where internal storage is not available or viable.

The network boot method, often referred to as PXE (Preboot Execution Environment), allows computers to be booted over the network where they can download and install an operating system image from a server. This method is ideal for deploying images to multiple computers simultaneously, especially when they lack an installed OS

For a clean installation of an operating system using a USB flash drive, the drive must contain a disk image file, specifically an ISO file, that has been properly written to the USB. This process involves not just copying the ISO file to the USB but using a specialized tool to make the USB bootable and unpack the ISO contents in a way that the server can boot from it. The ISO file is a complete image of what would be on an installation CD or DVD, making it the correct choice for this scenario. Compressed archives, executable installer files, or individual system files are not sufficient on their own to create a bootable environment for an OS installation.

Solid-state drives (SSDs) provide significantly faster read and write speeds compared to optical media like CDs or DVDs. This speed advantage makes SSDs a preferred choice for booting and installing operating systems, leading to quicker installation times and overall system performance improvements.

Hot-swappable SATA drives are designed to be removed and replaced while the system is still running, eliminating the need for downtime during upgrades or replacements. This capability is crucial for maintaining server operations in an enterprise environment. While external USB drives can also be connected without shutting down, they do not offer the same level of integration and performance as internal SATA drives designed for hot swapping.

The Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) server is a lightweight, simple file transfer protocol that is used in the PXE boot process. It hosts the boot files (including the bootloader and kernel) that PXE clients download over the network to initiate the boot process. TFTP is chosen for its simplicity and efficiency in serving the small, necessary files to PXE clients.

Hot-swap capability is essential for replacing a failing drive in a RAID 5 array without interrupting data access. This feature allows drives to be removed and replaced while the system is powered on and operational, ensuring continuous availability of data. Solid-state drive technology, USB connectivity, and wireless data transfer do not inherently support the seamless replacement of drives in an active RAID array without downtime.