Domain name server?

[bkanuka]

I have an idea about how I wan to set up my network, but I dont really know how to do about doing it. I have two desktop computers and a laptop. One of the desktop computers will be a server, hosting all the Home folders and documents (with shared folders for all users also) but must also be able to fuction as a full-featured workstation also. The other desktop will strictly be a workstation. When someone wants to login to the workstation, it will access the server to varify the login and password and also to use the home folder stored on the server. What kind of network is this called? So when someone logs in on either the server desktop or the workstation desktop, their home folder (and therefor settings also) should be exactly the same. I know this shouldn't be that hard, especially since all the computers are gentoo. I just don't know how this could be set up.

Now the laptop comes into play. This is more difficult because sometimes the laptop will not be able to connect to the server to varify usernames and passwords, so somehow there needs to be a cache of these stored on the laptop. Also, when on the road, the laptop will not be able to access home folders, so these must also be stored on the laptop, minus most documents. Basicaly I need a program that will sycronize the home folders on the server with the home folders on the laptop whenever the laptop is connected to the network, only replacing files when one is newer than the other.

I am one who likes to know all the steps before starting something, so all Im really asking for is just a breif overview of how this could be set up. I know I should probably set up the two desktops first before setting up the sycro to the laptop. Also just to let you know there will not be many users, so storing all the home folders on the laptop will not be a problem.

Alright, Thank you for any input you have.

[Digestive]

The easy part is the networked home directories; NFS is your friend. You'll want to use automounting at least on the laptop so you add some script-fu to make it mount the home dir from the local filesystem when diconnected from the network. Rsync is your best bet for keeping the home dirs mirrored.

For auth stuff you basically have two choices: NIS or LDAP. NIS is easier to set up short term (if a little cryptic in places), but you'll probably regret it long term if you don't use LDAP. You could set the laptop up as a replicated slave for when it's disconnected. LDAP can be maddeningly ill-documented, but it's worth presevering as you can make it do all kinds of other stuff that NIS can't.

[bkanuka]

Ok so I should share all the home directories on the server with NFS ("netowork file system" I assume) with root? and then have the laptop automount the NFS share or the local home folder partition on boot with a script-fu? where is this script-fu stored and what is script-fu?
LDAP sounds like exactly what I need with the replicated slave. I'll look/ask for more information on that when I need it.
Please just clearify what scipt-fu is.

Thank you. You last post was exactly what i needed.