I came across this neat project called InetBoot [1]. This is a web-enabled boot loader for booting into ISO files. The bootloader is a small ISO (5.3 mb) itself that does some initial booting, networking, and then a request for the ISO over httpfs [2]. The incoming ISO is then mounted and the process goes on from there. Its neat in that with a small local bootable image, you can send in ISOs over HTTP instead of NFS. I am planning on trying ti out for the Live CDs for OLPC.

From their site (edited for typos):

InetBoot loads a kernel form a HTTP server. Since it doesn’t use BOOTP and TFTP which are used for normal network boot (PXE), InetBoot is not limited on LAN environment. It also doesn’t use a stateful NFS server for a root file system. InetBoot uses stateless HTTP for a root file system and enables the dynamic load balancing.

Check it out now!  http://openlab.jp/oscircular/inetboot/index.html [3]