Multiple Samba Logon Servers

I am setting up a linux samba PDC for a user community of
approximately 700 users. I want to utilize several other linux
servers to spread out the home directories of the users. How do I
configure my PDC to direct users to the proper server to log into
their particular home directory, and then "net use" that home
directory and map it to a certain drive on their XP laptops. Will I
have to run Samba on every linux box that serves the home
directories...and what are the particular smb.conf parameters
necessary on the PDC to accomplish this feat????

Charles Kendricks wrote:
> I am setting up a linux samba PDC for a user community of
> approximately 700 users. I want to utilize several other linux
> servers to spread out the home directories of the users. How do I
> configure my PDC to direct users to the proper server to log into
> their particular home directory, and then "net use" that home
> directory and map it to a certain drive on their XP laptops. Will I
> have to run Samba on every linux box that serves the home
> directories...and what are the particular smb.conf parameters
> necessary on the PDC to accomplish this feat????

Hello,
You need a pdc with ldap and I would spread the load by using a separate
subnet for file shares and multiple volumes for the home directories
(check out lvm). check out this site http://aqua.subnet.at/~max/ldap/
I would go to www.backports.org and install the samba 3.0 packages on
woody. Be prepared to invest time sweat and frustration with openldap.
It is finicky and dog slow. On the plus side it scales well (no
discernable slowdown no matter what you do to it). Hope this helps bye
for now

Sylvain wrote:

> Charles Kendricks wrote:
>
>> I am setting up a linux samba PDC for a user community of
>> approximately 700 users. I want to utilize several other linux
>> servers to spread out the home directories of the users. How do I
>> configure my PDC to direct users to the proper server to log into
>> their particular home directory, and then "net use" that home
>> directory and map it to a certain drive on their XP laptops. Will I
>> have to run Samba on every linux box that serves the home
>> directories...and what are the particular smb.conf parameters
>> necessary on the PDC to accomplish this feat????
>
>
> Hello,
> You need a pdc with ldap and I would spread the load by using a separate
> subnet for file shares and multiple volumes for the home directories
> (check out lvm). check out this site http://aqua.subnet.at/~max/ldap/
> I would go to www.backports.org and install the samba 3.0 packages on
> woody. Be prepared to invest time sweat and frustration with openldap.
> It is finicky and dog slow. On the plus side it scales well (no
> discernable slowdown no matter what you do to it). Hope this helps bye
> for now

This solution is overkill and is not an answer the OP.

--
LucM

Visit your friends
> www.gnu.org
> www.greenpeace.org

Charles Kendricks wrote:

> I am setting up a linux samba PDC for a user community of
> approximately 700 users.

In the Microsoft world, a 700-users network is a definite go for a domain.

But if you use Samba only for file-sharing and if you are the only one
allowed to create new shares, you don't really _need_ a PDC. You need
file servers with a password-synchronization mechanism.

> I want to utilize several other linux
> servers to spread out the home directories of the users.

This is a good idea, because a 700-users domain can become quite heavy
on a Samba PDC.

> How do I
> configure my PDC to direct users to the proper server to log into
> their particular home directory, and then "net use" that home
> directory and map it to a certain drive on their XP laptops.

This can be done with logon scripts (vbscript or batch files).

In the script you might use the client IP, hostname or username to find
out which server it should connect to, and what drives it should map.
You could also use this script to connect to lan printers.

> Will I
> have to run Samba on every linux box that serves the home
> directories...and what are the particular smb.conf parameters
> necessary on the PDC to accomplish this feat????

You need Samba on every server that will talk with Windows clients.

As for the config: a PDC will be critical to your network, so you should
have a serious look at the Samba doc instead of relying on newsgroups.
Otherwise you may end up creating a huge network bottleneck.


--
LucM

Visit your friends
> www.gnu.org
> www.greenpeace.org

On Mon, 28 Jun 2004 10:11:17 -0400, LucM wrote:
> Sylvain wrote:
>> Charles Kendricks wrote:
>>> I am setting up a linux samba PDC for a user community of
>>> approximately 700 users. I want to utilize several other linux
>>> servers to spread out the home directories of the users...
>>
>> You need a pdc with ldap and I would spread the load by using a separate
>> subnet for file shares and multiple volumes for the home directories...
>
> This solution is overkill and is not an answer the OP.

I'm inclined to agree. Not necessary to go to LDAP, although that might be
sexy. Seems to be the way of the future but I hear some performance issues?

Just curious: why would he need a separate subnet? What would that do for
him? Do you mean separate physical LAN segments? or address subnet? We
don't know what class of network (or subnet(s)) or topology the OP has.

That reminds me (not obvious but probably) is the requirement for 700
users at their own PCs? or 700 users sharing a smaller number of PCs?

--
Juhan Leemet
Logicognosis, Inc.