I have never been to one of these "fests" but wouldn't be easier to just bring a small PXE server with an SSD and 10G NIC with an 8-port switch for net booting/install? Are the machines so old they can't boot off the network? The PXE server could easily handle 5-6 install clients via the 10G NIC.
A 10G NIC is unnecessary. I've used iVentoy with a dozen laptops installing Linux simultaneously with no obvious slowdowns hosted from a Dell Optiplex Micro 7050 (7th gen i5, 1G NIC, SSD).
Yes, I have used iVentoy very much in the past as well. However, running a dozen (+12) simultaneous installs of Linux seems a stretch for 1G NICs. Using a small PC with a 2.5G NIC could probably do just as well as the 10G one - just slightly less expensive. The 2.5G NIC hardware has really come down in price; you can get an 8-port 2.5G switch for $45, and many mini-PCs have 2.5G built-in.
Yeah the USB stick enables the participants to replicate it more easily at home or with friends etc.
Encouraging that the participants are in the driver seat also helps with this.
