(newbie) Which is the actual cvsroot?/remote repository access

[Mazza, Glen R., ,CPMS]

Hello,

1.) Using Linux (Redhat 8.0) I set up a cvs repository at
/usr/local/cvsroot.  That created a subdirectory named CVSROOT underneath
it.  Now, whenever a command requests "the path to CVS root" (e.g., in
setting up xinetd pserver service, checkout/update commands, etc.)--I'm
confused which directory CVS considers as the root:  /usr/local/cvsroot or
/usr/local/cvsroot/CVSROOT?

2.) Also, in trying to access a Linux CVS server from Windows NT, do I need
WinCVS or another CVS client on my NT machine if using pserver
authentication?  (I would like to do CVS commands using Ant--I installed
WinCVS, but I think WinCVS may be unnecessary for my purposes.)

Thanks,
Glen