A computing node is configure to implement an intra-node network boot and installation protocol (protocol) for booting and installing an operating system (OS) on a virtual machine hosted on the computing node without communicating over a physical network. The protocol includes hosting a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server instance and/or a network boot server instance on a controller virtual machine of the computing node to emulate DHCP protocol and network boot server protocol communications. In some examples, the protocol further utilizes one or more virtual extensible local area networks (LANs)(VXLANs) and a virtual switch hosted at a hypervisor running on the computing node.