How to set up a Computer Lab Network with profiles

[HugoCore]

Hi all,

I need an advice to how set up a computer lab student network.
The project is to setup a computer lab network with a client-service system and a directory service.
Now the main goals are:

- Manage users (username, passwords, permissions of what can do inside the client machine operating system) on the server
- Each user have their data/profile/files storage at the server
- Each user can logon at any computer client machine and load up their profile/data
- Distribute from the server, the client machine system operative (ubuntu), meaning that, the client machines have all the same operating system, programs and configurations. Per example, if a new program is necessary to exist in the client machines, do something in the server and propagate that addition to the client machines.

The scenario is very much a like, a student library or lab linux network system.

We have the hardware, with software and operating system you advice?

Best Regards

[atreyu]

K12Linux is a Fedora-based Terminal Server Project solution that might be worth looking into:

https://fedorahosted.org/k12linux/

There is also iTALC, which is more of a classroom-management solution:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/italc/

I have not tried either - just suggestions.

[HugoCore]

Thanks for the answer atreyu.

But a terminal server system is not a good option because we are talking about 20-30 clients simultaneously. That is very hard for a server(s) with the programs we gonna be using.

The best way is to the user logon on any machine, his profile cames up, with the latest operating system set up by/on the server. Simple.

[atreyu]

Thanks for the answer atreyu.

But a terminal server system is not a good option because we are talking about 20-30 clients simultaneously. That is very hard for a server(s) with the programs we gonna be using.

The best way is to the user logon on any machine, his profile cames up, with the latest operating system set up by/on the server. Simple.

i believe you can configure K12Linux to run desired apps locally.

[HugoCore]

Hum.. Thanks! Let's see if anyone else got another ideia or solution.

[Lazydog]

How about centralizing the '/home' on the server and then having every desktop mount the '/home' directory on boot. Now when a student logs in they have their home directory and can still run programs locally.

[HugoCore]

How about centralizing the '/home' on the server and then having every desktop mount the '/home' directory on boot. Now when a student logs in they have their home directory and can still run programs locally.

Great Lazydog! How can I mount automatically on logon?

And mount the correct folder, like, if the username is X then mount /home/X/

And what about centralized Authentication?

[Lazydog]

'Use the force Luke." The force in this case being Google.
Do a search on 'automount home directories'.

I have planted the seed, it is up to you to grow.