IZI Boot — Network Game Delivery and Disk Image from the Server

IZI Boot — Network Game Delivery and Disk Image from the Server

IZI Boot is a separate paid product built on TrueNAS. It is a server-side system: the IZI Boot server sits in the club’s local network, stores the reference disk image, and delivers it to all gaming PCs over the network via iSCSI. Each PC boots from the disk the Boot server provides — the PC’s local disk is not used as the primary drive. After a session the PC’s disk rolls back to the server image: the next guest gets a clean, identical environment. When a game needs updating or Windows needs reinstalling, the admin updates the image on the server once and clicks Apply to All — the Boot server delivers the updated disk to all machines, waiting for each session to finish.

IZI Boot is managed through IZI CRM (the panel in Control Center), but it is a standalone product — it is not part of CRM and is purchased separately.

Each gaming PC has the IZI client (IZI agent) installed via the IZI installer — a separate application that manages sessions, tariffs, player balance, and the CRM connection. The IZI client and IZI Boot are different products with different roles.

How IZI Boot works

Server, storage, and network protocol

IZI Boot runs on a TrueNAS server in the club’s local network. Each club PC connects to TrueNAS over iSCSI and receives its disk from the Boot server — the OS loads from the network. The CRM communicates with TrueNAS via REST API at the endpoint you configure in settings: protocol (HTTP/HTTPS), IP address, port, and API token.

Inside IZI CRM this appears as an IZI Boot panel in the club’s Control Center with these fields:

Field	Description
Protocol	HTTP or HTTPS
IP	TrueNAS address (e.g. 10.0.0.1)
Port	TCP port of the TrueNAS API
API Token	TrueNAS access token (hidden after saving)
TrueNAS Local IP	LAN address TrueNAS uses for iSCSI connections from PCs
Drive Letter	Letter (A–Z, excluding C) under which the image is mounted
TrueNAS Pool	Explicit pool name, or auto-detected when only one pool exists
Donor Disk Size (GiB)	Volume of the first zvol for the donor PC (1–10 240 GiB)
Auto-update Schedule	Schedule for automatic image rollout

The recommended TrueNAS version is 25.04 and later. Versions before 24.10 run in a compatibility mode with reduced functionality.

Reference image and donor PC

The reference image lives on the Boot server (TrueNAS). Before IZI Boot can manage your fleet you need to create it — the CRM setup wizard walks you through this:

1. Installation mode — the CRM offers two scenarios:

   • Clean install (“Prepare donor PC, install Windows via iSCSI, capture image”) — for new clubs starting without an existing TrueNAS.
   • Migrate existing TrueNAS — if the NAS already has a golden disk from another system, the CRM captures it as the reference; the copy method is selected automatically.

2. Donor PC — the first machine on which you install Windows manually via iSCSI from the Boot server. Once the system is configured, click Capture Reference in the CRM to lock in the image on the server.

3. Deliver to remaining PCs — after the reference is created on the server, the CRM automatically rolls the image out to all selected machines. Each PC receives its disk from the Boot server after powering on and becoming idle.

Disk protection and post-session rollback

A core IZI Boot capability is disk protection: each PC’s disk is tied to the server image. After a session (on reboot) all changes on the PC’s disk are rolled back to the reference image on the Boot server. Guests never leave traces on the next guest’s disk.

Setup phase lifecycle

The CRM tracks the IZI Boot connection phase:

• SETUP — no reference image yet; automation is paused. The CRM shows a warning: “Setup in progress — automation is paused until the wizard is complete.”
• READY — reference image exists on the server; automatic apply runs normally.
• MIGRATING — migrating from another system (foreign TrueNAS); destructive automation is paused until the PC set is confirmed.

Managing PCs in IZI Boot

Selecting PCs for Boot

In the Boot PCs section you choose which specific machines receive their disk from the Boot server. Other club PCs — racing simulators or stations with dedicated hardware — remain on local boot.

A PC participates in IZI Boot only if:

• its device type supports Boot (configured in zone settings), and
• it has a valid MAC address.

When a PC is removed from the boot set, the reconciler deletes its boot storage (iSCSI target and clone). Any local changes on that disk are lost — the CRM shows a dedicated warning before you save.

PC statuses

Every PC in the IZI Boot list has one of four states:

Status	Meaning
PENDING	Waiting for a new image to be applied from the Boot server
APPLYING	Image apply is in progress
READY	PC is running the current reference image from the Boot server
BROKEN	Error during apply; diagnostics needed

The CRM also surfaces two additional signals:

• Needs Install — the PC is enrolled in Boot and iSCSI is ready, but it has not yet booted from the Boot server.
• Apply Convergence — whether the PC is in sync with the latest image on the server. Values: CONVERGED (up to date), PENDING_REBOOT (image applied, waiting for reboot), PENDING_IDLE (PC is busy, reboot deferred).

Applying updates

You can roll a new image out to all PCs in two ways:

• Automatically on a schedule — set the Auto-update Schedule field in IZI Boot settings. The reconciler applies the image within the schedule window, waiting for each PC to become idle.
• Manually — the Apply to All button in the CRM immediately queues every PC for an update. The apply still waits for any active session to end.

Targeting a single PC is available as a separate action — it is not blocked by manual schedules (the operator is explicitly opening a maintenance window), but still waits for the active session or system lock to clear.

Setting up IZI Boot: step-by-step wizard

The CRM guides you through a setup wizard:

1. Connect storage — enter the TrueNAS endpoint and auto-update schedule.
2. Verify connection — the CRM checks access to the Boot server and the TrueNAS version.
3. Installation mode — choose Clean Install or Migrate Existing TrueNAS.
4. Source — select the donor PC (or a foreign disk for migration).
5. Prepare image — install Windows on the donor via iSCSI from the Boot server, configure the system, then click Capture Reference.
6. Select PCs — mark which machines will receive their disk from the Boot server.
7. Apply — PCs receive the image from the Boot server automatically after powering on and becoming idle.

You do not need to wait at the last step: busy or powered-off PCs will receive the image on their own as soon as they are free.

IZI client and IZI installer

Each gaming PC has the IZI client (IZI agent) installed — a separate application unrelated to the Boot server. The IZI client manages sessions, tariffs, player balance, the screensaver, and the CRM connection. It is downloaded from CRM → Devices via the IZI installer and installed on each PC.

IZI Boot and the IZI client are two separate products:

	IZI Boot	IZI client (IZI agent)
Where it runs	On the server (TrueNAS)	On each gaming PC
What it does	Delivers disks over the network, stores the image, rolls back the disk after sessions	Manages sessions, tariffs, balance, screensaver
Product type	Separate paid product	Included in IZI CRM
Managed from	IZI Boot panel in CRM	CRM (Devices section)

Permissions

IZI Boot access inside IZI CRM is controlled by four permissions:

Permission	What it grants
IZI_BOOT_READ	View IZI Boot status and configuration
IZI_BOOT_MANAGE	Edit settings, apply images, enroll or remove PCs
IZI_BOOT_CONFIG_READ	View storage configuration
IZI_BOOT_CONFIG_MANAGE	Edit storage configuration (IP, token, schedule)

IZI Boot and the rest of the IZI platform

IZI Boot works alongside the rest of the platform:

• Control Center — the primary interface for real-time PC boot monitoring.
• IZI Monitoring — club hardware monitoring; online/offline statuses from Boot feed into the overall hall view.
• Zones and Equipment — zone membership is shown in the Boot PCs list; machines without a zone are labeled “No Zone.”
• Reference Image guide — detailed how-to for creating and updating the reference image in IZI Boot.

---

Frequently asked questions

What is IZI Boot?

IZI Boot is a separate paid server-side product built on TrueNAS. The server sits in the club’s local network, stores the reference disk image, and delivers it to all gaming PCs over iSCSI. Managed through the IZI Boot panel inside IZI CRM.

Why does a gaming club need IZI Boot?

Without IZI Boot, updating a game or reinstalling Windows on 30–100 machines takes a full day of manual work. With IZI Boot you update the image on the server once and click Apply to All — every PC gets the update automatically on its next boot.

How does IZI Boot relate to IZI CRM?

IZI Boot is a separate paid product managed through a panel inside IZI CRM. It is not part of CRM — it is a standalone server product on TrueNAS, purchased and installed independently.

What storage does IZI Boot require?

IZI Boot runs on a TrueNAS server in the club’s local network. The recommended minimum version is TrueNAS 25.04 (SCALE).

What is a reference image?

A reference image is a disk snapshot of one donor PC with Windows, games, and settings configured as the gold standard. It lives on the Boot server (TrueNAS). Every other PC in the club receives this disk over iSCSI on each boot, and rolls back to it after the session.

How do I update games or Windows on all PCs at once?

Update the image on the Boot server via the donor PC, then click Apply to All in IZI CRM. The system delivers the updated disk to each machine after the current session ends.

What happens to a PC during an active player session?

IZI Boot never interrupts active sessions. Applying a new image is queued and executed only after the session ends and all locks are cleared.

What is the IZI client and how is it different from IZI Boot?

The IZI client (IZI agent) is an application on each PC that manages sessions, tariffs, and player balance. It is installed via the IZI installer from CRM → Devices. IZI Boot is the server-side product that delivers disks over the network. These are two separate products.

Can I exclude some PCs from IZI Boot?

Yes. In the Boot PCs section you choose specific machines. Others — racing simulators, for example — remain on local boot.

What is a donor PC?

The donor PC is the first machine in the club on which you install Windows manually via iSCSI from the Boot server. After setup you click Capture Reference in the CRM; the image is saved on the server and the donor becomes a regular club PC.

What do the statuses PENDING / APPLYING / READY / BROKEN mean?

PENDING — waiting for a new image from the Boot server. APPLYING — image apply is in progress. READY — PC is running the current reference image from the Boot server. BROKEN — an error occurred during apply; diagnostics required.

Can I migrate an existing system from another TrueNAS?

Yes. In the setup wizard choose Migrate Existing TrueNAS — the CRM will detect foreign disks on the NAS and offer to capture one as the reference image on the Boot server.