LTSP Multiple Architecture Setup

[Bill Moseley]

I apologize for the basic questions here:

My school has a number of older iMacs (translucent cases) so I was
looking over:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuLTSP/LTSPCrossArchSetup

The last line of that pages says:

    Note that powerpc clients need some special options in the servers
    dhcp setup.

Is this explained in detail some place?

I'm also somewhat confused because I've read (IIRC) some places that
it's recommended to tie IP addresses to MAC addresses in DHCP.

Not sure why that's needed.  Is that needed in mixed architecture
environments to tie a "root-path" to a specific client in dhcpd.conf?

Is there any way to detect the platform in dhcp other than MAC?
Doesn't seem likely.

I'm also wondering about topology.

Our school has a two small computer labs, and a few class rooms where
each has only four to eight computers.  To demo the project I'm
thinking of just setting up one set of computers.  And I plan on using
a server with two NICs.  One request had to do with filtering and
seems like a firewall on the server is the best approach.

Do I need two NICs to do that?

But, if the project is extended to other classrooms then I wonder
about having a server in each class -- seems like extra management if
the servers are all very similar.

Or can I use a single NIC in the server as shown in the second image
at https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuLTSP/LTSPWiring and still
run a firewall on a virtual interface?

I'm not sure the existing network infrastructure would support that
(they still have a few 10Mb *hubs* around).  So, any suggestions on
topology would be recommended -- besides swapping out the hubs, which
is happening ;)

Thanks,


-- 
Bill Moseley
moseley at hank.org