Some very useful feedback from you guys already, thanks.

Don't forget standard best practices, backups of system and user's data,
selective updates and security patches must be manually applied
following proper change control procedures.

The server is RAIDed, the workstations have just a single HDD.


To clarify some points raised.

1) Approx 200 trainees each year, the full course is three years long
(but class size will be 30 maximum at any one session).
By year 3... 600 Users. After year 3 the trainees details may be purged
and resources reclaimed so the server will never have to support more
than 600 accounts.

2) The trainees progress is stored in a .subdirectory of their home
directory by the (annoyingly) proprietary closed source training software.

3) The trainees cannot be guaranteed to be sat in the same seat at every
training session. In fact, must move to one of the few workstations with
a joystick\graphical tablet for specific lessons.

4) A downed workstation must be easily replaced without loss of trainees
work.