[K12OSN] Adding users on multiple ltsp servers

[Lewis Holcroft]

Pete,

This set up is not concrete. However the bandwidth between the 
locations is ISDN and I can't change that for some time. The ltsp 
servers are going into an already functioning network and the complete 
roll out is based on the initial 60 days after I install the first two 
servers. This gives me a good amount of time to work out the kinks and 
make adjustments. I set up the origional network 3 years ago with 
RedHat 6.2 and it works like a charm. However back then all of the 
workstations on the network were dumb terminals with one or two Windows 
PC's here and there. Over time they have replaced the dumb terminals 
with PC's and don't have a clue on keeping them selves up to date. When 
we suggested LTSP they thought about it quite hard, Then they got hit 
with a virus and spent a week trying to fix something and then had to 
throw money at the problem. This put them over the edge and they wanted 
to give this a try.  I have considered many options with this setup, 
but in the end I have some specific things that I want to keep the 
same.

I can't switch to higher bandwidth connections as it is not available 
for all locations and where it is available the telco requires they 
maintain the network (for a monthly fee). Oh and they only support MS 
Windows.

I want the end user to be able to create accounts on the existing 
machine and make the duplication on the ltsp servers transparent. The 
main reason being that I don't want the end users tweaking/breaking the 
ltsp server. I can script or config by hand the initial setup and rsync 
the files there after.

We have already decided to restrict files that are synced between 
machines and in the name of "The Corporate Network" users will be very 
restricted on what products they have access to.

To this end the five servers are almost identical, except they reside 
on different subnets for bandwidth control. This means that several of 
the ltsp config files need to be changed to deal with the subnet scheme 
I have configured. By the way thanks for the pointers on changing 
/etc/dhcpd.conf to accommodate specifying alternate ltsp vs dhcp 
servers.

So I think I am somewhat limited on the options. I have opted to use my 
existing dhcp server (10.0.0.1) and a single NIC in each LTSP box. I 
have five subnets (10.0.[01234].0) and plan on adding the lstp box as 
10.0.x.9 at each site. I am hoping that I can get squid to still work 
with this setup. Thankfully the network is for non technical adult 
users so they are not likely to work out how to get around that.

So that's where things sit right now. It could change, but not much as 
I have to get this working in two days.

Lewis

On Jun 7, 2004, at 5:26 PM, Pete wrote:

> Hi Lewis :
>
> Maybe you should rethink the design of your LTSP farm a bit.
> What you basically want to do is copying the users across...
> This can be done by copying part of files like /etc/passwd and 
> /etc/shadow.
> (Eventually /etc/groups etc)
> A script that runs at night can keep things in sync, although I 
> believe this
> is an ugly solution, it can work in your environment.
> But how are you gonna keep the users /home directories in sync?
> Or is the /home a nfs mount from 1 central location?
> Why not putting all the auth info and /home directories on 1 box?
>
> Regards
>
> -- 
>
> ===
>
> Peter Van den Wildenbergh
>
> CriticalControl Solutions Inc.
> Bow Valley Square II
> Suite 2400
> 205 - 5th avenue SW
> Calgary, AB T2P 2V7
>
> T 403.705.7500
> F 403.705.7555
>
>
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