Putting the user's home directory on a share would indeed enable logging on to 

any client and getting the same files present. Using a graphical logon, this would 

mean getting the same desktop and environment.

However, care has to be taken. Some graphical systems (most notably KDE) 

need to create symbolic links or sockets in the user's home directory. One of the 

shortcomings of the SMB file system in Samba is not being able to create 

symbolic links or sockets in such a file system. 

Planning tip:

 Using shares for home directories has to be planned and tested 

in detail.

4.2.4  Printing services in the domain

Of course it is possible to add printers directly to Linux clients. But this would 

create extra administrative overhead in a scenario where you are integrating 

Linux clients into an existing Windows domain that provides network printing 

services already. Since almost all Linux distributions now include the Common 

Unix Printing System (CUPS), this can be used in conjunction with Samba on the 

client to enable printing to the existing domain printers.

If you plan to use CUPS on the Linux clients to print to existing printers, some 

issues have to be taken into account:

Is CUPS and Samba integration handled correctly?

Do the printers need authentication? Domain passwords for shared printer 

access could be exposed.

What are the advantages of using print servers versus direct printing to the 

printers network interface?

Are your printer's model and drivers available in CUPS?

CUPS and Samba integration

In most distributions, CUPS and Samba will be integrated properly. It needs to be 

checked, however, and this has to be taken into account when planning.

Most importantly you have to check if Samba is part of the CUPS backend. How 

to do this is described in 7.5,  How to use network printers in the domain  on 

page 147.

Printers and authentication

Printers in the domain may require domain authentication to be able to use them. 

This is possible using CUPS, by providing the user name/password in the URI of 

 Chapter 4. Technical planning 

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