> One thing we haven't fully decided yet is that whether we should keep > network-wide configuration files in /usr/local and replace original files > with symlinks, or should we use rsync or similar to keep every system in > sync. The former has the advantage of making the change instantaneous > while the latter reduces hosts' dependency on the server. Though they'll > still be dependant on /home being NFS shared anyway, that's why haven't > decided it yet.
i love dpkg-repack! you can setup a box, then recreate the .deb with your settings, and install it anywhere. (ok, my debian network is four machines, so this approach may be worth just 0.02$...)