Please suggest solution for file server

[Passiday]

Hello,

I am rather new to Linux world, only couple of years. So, please bear with me when I ask something perhaps common sense etc.

I am looking for solution that would allow multiple users distributed over several offices in several countries to access one corporate file depository.

The features I am looking for, are as follows:
- There should be the way to establish user groups and then define for each folder access level (read/write) for every user/group. Every users is given his login and password.
- This file depository should be accessed from both Linux and Windows clients
- There should be a way how to sync certain folders/files on one's PC so that it is possible to work off-line and then sync back to the common depository.

Then I plan to launch some regular backup routine on that folder where all the files of depository are kept.

I can imagine that the solution could be involving several tools, ie access for Windows users might involve setting up samba server, but I don't know how to establish all the limited access stuff for Win clients via samba.

I'll be thankful for any ideas that would help me get started on this.

[alf55]

LDAP, SAMBA, and "Back in Time".

LDAP handles user account information.

SAMBA handles CIF filesystem access to the Linux subtree.

Back in Time -- Backup software

Other things would be software RAID and/or LVM for reduancy and expansion.