Before discussing how to integrate a centralized cluster organization, loosely connected to acpub (utilizing at least acpub's existing LAN mechanisms for account access, authentication, and so forth) with the existing collection of linux-based LANs and departmental clusters, we need to describe the way linux is currently installed and managed in a typical LAN environment. This will explicitly illustrate its phenomenal scalability in the existing University support environment, and indicate clearly how and why it is essential to preserve this in any sane clustering model.