HELP: Final Semester Project

[cyberophobia]

Ok. Here's the case.

Our college had a computer lab, a 30 PCs Vista-driven Pentium Dees. All the computers are connected to a D-Link router, using DHCP because we are particularly lazy.

Now here come the problem.

I was given a project, which I never learnt yet. Charming lecturer. The project consist of me doing planning of:

Do a LAN connected network in the lab.

The computers must be locked all the time. One of the PC must be transformed into a server, running an open source OS, preferably FreeBSD. The server must be able to control all the other 29 PCs, locking when it is unnecessary. When a student wants to use a computer, the student must provide the student ID to the server, and the server unlocks the Vista-driven PC within a distance.

Then here comes the super problem: I have to submit the project very,very soon.
I have no idea on where to begin with! :S.

Could someone help me? Providing as little as a tip or hint could help. Thanks!