I've been using Linux as a multi-purpose OS on a single PC. I now have
several PCs that I need to setup in a client-server setting. Once I've
setup the server with file/print services, how should I approach setting
up the clients? I plan to use CD-ROMs for the install process on all
machines (only about four).

My thinking is that if the server has apps, like OpenOffice.org, in
/us/local, and that is exported as an NFS share, then when I install
Linux on the workstations, I shouldn't have to install all the
programs. I should merely have to setup the clients to access the
server's /usr/local directory, and thus the apps located therein. Is
that correct? Or am I dreaming?

Regards,
DC Parris
http://matheteuo.org/

Don Parris <webdev@matheteuo.org> wrote:
> server's /usr/local directory, and thus the apps located therein. Is
> that correct? Or am I dreaming?

If you want to, and your 'clients' are powerfull enough, you can have
a full diskless installation. See the diskless-howto.

Davide

--
| Reality is bad enough, why should I tell the truth?
|
|
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Don Parris <webdev@matheteuo.org> writes:

]I've been using Linux as a multi-purpose OS on a single PC. I now have
]several PCs that I need to setup in a client-server setting. Once I've
]setup the server with file/print services, how should I approach setting
]up the clients? I plan to use CD-ROMs for the install process on all
]machines (only about four).

]My thinking is that if the server has apps, like OpenOffice.org, in
]/us/local, and that is exported as an NFS share, then when I install
]Linux on the workstations, I shouldn't have to install all the
]programs. I should merely have to setup the clients to access the
]server's /usr/local directory, and thus the apps located therein. Is
]that correct? Or am I dreaming?

An NFS mounted disk is in all ways (excep speed) the same as a disk
mounted from the machine itself. The only thing that differentiates it
is that if the net is down so is the disk. Or if the remote computer is
shut off, so is the partition.
Ie, you are not dreaming-- it is easy. Just remember that if you put
crucial programs on the nfs disk , they will not be accessible until
after the nfs mounting is done. Eg putting the kernel on an nfs mounted
disk is a very bad idea, since nfs mounting does not occur until after
the kernel is loaded.