[Samba] Samba as a backup authentication server for Windows 2000 Server

[Jyri]

Dear all,

I searched through the Net but couldn't find a definitive answer to my
question: is it possible to use Samba 3.x as a backup authentication
server for Windows 2000 Server?

What I'm looking for is a way to make sure that couple of workers placed
in a remote office could always log into their workstations, even when
VPN connection to the main office (where W2K server is located) is
broken. I know Windows workstations cache logon credentials, but that
does not solve my problem as the users also have to be able to use
network shares of each other's workstations.

What I need is a small local server which could act as a logon server
when VPN is down. Our Windows 2000 domain is running in the native mode,
so a classic PDC/BDC setup is not possible without rebuilding the whole
domain.

All comments and ideas are warmly welcome. =)

- Jyri