Mac Snow Leopard Server Open Directory questions..

I'm looking at setting up an Open Directory network on a new OSX 10.6 Server.  Can I do this for remote users that are not on my LAN?  This is my first network that is Mac based but I come from a Windows Active Directory background so it seems as though it should be similar.  Basically I have several remote employees that I would like to be able to give a workstation that they can log into from there homes, yet be treated as though they are on the same LAN.  I currently have something similar with users connecting via VPN however I want to be able to manage users via the Open Directory.

I see from some of Apple's documentation that your putting in a server name like server.example.com.. So it seems like all I would need to do is forward the ports in my router to the correct place and it should connect.  Instinct tells me though its not quite that easy.  Of course none of the documentation that I have found talks about anything outside your LAN.

Hope all that makes sense.  Anyone have any thoughts?