I really dislike the way Network Homes work under OS X Server 10.3, and I suspect that this dislike is due to my own ignorance of the subject, so I'm appealing to the AFP548 cognoscenti to "show me the light".
The only way that I can get network homes to work is by placing all the users "Home folders" in the sharepoint registered for "User Home Directories" in LDAP.
I literally have to have all of the user folders in the one place, with no form of hierarchy possible within that folder.
The best way I can demonstrate how I'd *like* the system to work is the way that I've got it configured at a site using only OS 9 clients and Mac Manager (XServe G5, OS X Server 10.3.5). I have a folder on a separate disk entitled "Home". Inside this folder I have a number of additional folders called "Intake98", "Intake99", "Intake00" etc. (it's an educational extablishment) each of which is a separate AFP sharepoint, each of which has a Network Mount record in LDAP as a folder for "User Home Directories".
Inside these share points are folders with the pupils' USERNAME (note: not SHORTNAME). In Workgroup Manager I import the users via passenger. I use a custom Server URL for each user of the form:
afp://serverip/Intakexx/Username
I should point out that this works *perfectly* in Mac Manager with the correct areas being mapped when the users log in. Obviously it's a total no-no for setups including OS X 10.3 clients.
My question to you is WHY???
I started out this info. request by stating that I've got Network Homes working, and indeed I have but why can't it be made to work using a hierarchical structure such as that at my OS9/MM based site?
How can I make the network automount work in this way, or is it impossible? Must I really use a Network Home repository where every single user's folder is inside one designated "Users" folder with no additional hierarchy?
I should also mention that it's the network home "automount" facility that's essential since the clients will run with simplified finder, and expecting the kids to mount their own home area is a total no-no.
Can anyone help me out or point me in the right direction? Even a simple "Tough luck, that's the way it's gotta be" would be extremely useful!
Many thanks in advance of replies received!
-Austin.