Hi!

Im new to coda so please spare me if I ask something incredably stupid OK ;-)

I want to build a network of Linux systems that should work like this:
* All files including system files are held in CODA cell.
* Each box has it's own set of configuration files (/etc) stored on separate
  coda volume, however all software (/usr, /bin(s) e.t.c) and possibly even
  /var becomes shared among machines.
* Each box uses about 300-500Mb of it's own harddrive for caching
* Remaining space becomes a coda server that's part of the cell
* Each coda volume (eg. user's home) gets replicated twice among the machines 
* Applications on the other hand are only stored in one server that
  also acts as the SCM.

The result should be that software can be easily upgraded (There is no need to
upgrade each box separately), storage space is managed in a more convinent
way (there is no need for cross mounting) and the system is fault tolerant
(in contrast of the blody NFS that we are using now). All my users are
either programmers or system administrators themselves.

Now please tell me that I'm MAD and I shall trash the idea ;-)

If any1 is still reading I would like to know the following:
* Is there a way to mount a coda volume somewhere else than under /coda on 
  client? Yes I know I can use symlinks to link /etc to something like 
  /coda/etcs/spooky but I don't want to do it. Linux has a very nice feature
  that there may be existing files in a mount point. So I could install
  coda client configuration and other nesseseary boot files on the local root
  partition and when system boots they get replaced on fly. Of course I
  can create some scripts that mangle with symlinks during system boot,
  but I don't like this idea.
* How can I make sure that in the case of sotware upgrade or installation
  configuration files in every box's /etc get updated/created? Should I teach
  RPM some coda stuff or is there a way to do that with some coda magic,
  custom conflict resolvers?
* How difficult it is to integrate coda with RPM in such a way that every
  file marked as %config in RPM database gets coda's special attention and
  is automatically managed individually for each client.
* Is there a root filesystem on CODA patch/initiative?

I do not want to reinvent the weel so if any1 knows any projects/success
stories etc. about similar systems I'd be grateful.

Thank you for your time.

Sincearely
--
Antti Andreimann 
anttix_at_sisalik.ee
 Security Expert
  Siidsisalik