[ubuntu-uk] Using SAMBA to create users across multiple servers

[Rob Beard]

Hi folks,

This is a bit of a long shot but I thought I'd ask anyway...

I'm in the process of setting up a server for a friend who has offices 
over two sites connected via a VPN.

He mainly has Windows machines which he wants to put on a domain.  I 
suggested using Linux rather than Windows 2003 Server to save him some 
money on client licences etc.

Anyway, I figured for the Samba Domain Controller I would use SME Server 
7.3 as I am comfortable with using this for e-mail/webmail/groupware.

Now SME Server has a nice easy to use web interface where if you create 
a user, all the mail directories, home directory and domain details are 
created.  So far so good.

Now here's where it gets a bit more complicated...

What I want to be able to do is have an Ubuntu server with a large RAID 
array installed which would provide file storage (he owns a large 
recording studio so they deal with LOTS of audio).  I would want this to 
be a Samba Backup Domain Controller in case the SME Server went down 
(something that bugs me about SME Server is the need to reboot after 
every update!).

I'd also like to have a Backup Domain Controller at the remote site so 
it's not dragging lots of authentication data across the WAN.

Now I was wondering if it was possible with Samba to configure it so 
when a new Samba account is created, an equivalent *nix login account 
and home directory is created on the backup servers?

The idea I had was when a user is created on the SME Server, it 
automatically then via Samba, tells the two BDC servers to create *nix 
accounts and home directories so they are ready to go.

Does this sound feasible/possible?

Ta,

Rob