Persistent home directories across computers?

Xamindar

I'm not sure where to stick this question.

I have 3+ PCs in the house that we use. My wife regularly commandeers my computer so I end up using another. The main problem is all my home directory stuff is different on this computer. I have heard of using nfs network mounts to share the same home on multiple computers and would like to set that up. I have a media/raid/backup server already set up that would work great as the server in the house. But I have the following questions.

1) Can more than one computer be signed into the same username, therefore using the same nfs mount without any conflicts?
2) If I take the laptop away from home is there a way to have all . files or the whole home directory already on my main computer and up to date in that instance? Also in the case of the media server being offline.
3) With my setup, would if even be a better idea to just sync the home directories with something like rsync instead of using nfs mounts?

I would love any feedback from anyone who has done or currently does this.

Are there any good tutorials out there?

Thanks!

pingufunkybeat · l33t Joined: 01 Dec 2004 Posts: 610

I don't have a tutorial for you, but nfs mounts is how you usually do this sort of stuff, in companies or universities. There is no problem with multiple logins.

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 11:24 pm Post subject:

Xamindar,

Set up an /etc/exports file on the system where you /home for the other PCs will live.
Create the same users on all systems and be sure the users have identical user IDs, as thats what will be used to identify users over nfs.

On each PC where you want the shared home to be mounted, nfs mount the exported filesystem to /home.
Then it justworks.

Xamindar · Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 5:38 am Post subject:

Thanks for the explanation. I have a few questions that I am having trouble getting answers to.

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 10:21 am Post subject:

Xamindar,

There are two things here. There is an nfs mount option, to background the mount, -o bg I think, so /home will be mounted when the network comes up.

If the network never comes up, then the disk space that /home is nfs mounted over will be visible as /home.
In fact, that space will be /home until the nfs mount suceeds.

I think you are about to suggest you need some syncing between nfs /home and local /home
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.