which network architecture & distribution: all in the same MAN, multiple sites using WAN, which bandwidth? Numbers of applications are impacting the repository space disk usage, not the architecture.
One front end server can distribute 400 simultaneous clients (in http streaming), but this can distribute thousand clients, not all ask in the same time.
If multiple remote sites with few machines, a local SMB share can avoid to deploy a Front end server each smallest sites.
Please provide more information DekiD