Large projects like *BSD are using cvsup to distribute the repos, and you checkout from a local copy then. To commmit, you obviously have to use the master cvs server, though.
sweatshorts % cvs status Makefile.inc1 /usr/src|12:48:57
===================================================================
File: Makefile.inc1 Status: Up-to-date
Working revision: 1.101 2007-01-19 08:51:44 +0100
Repository revision: 1.101 /home/dcvs/src/Makefile.inc1,v
Commit Identifier: 9177lVhuKoFNs53s
Sticky Tag: (none)
Sticky Date: (none)
Sticky Options: (none)
sweatshorts % CVSROOT=crater:/cvs cvs status Makefile.inc1 /usr/src|12:49:03
===================================================================
File: Makefile.inc1 Status: Up-to-date
Working revision: 1.101 2007-01-19 08:51:44 +0100
Repository revision: 1.101 /home/dcvs/src/Makefile.inc1,v
Commit Identifier: 9177lVhuKoFNs53s
Sticky Tag: (none)
Sticky Date: (none)
Sticky Options: (none)
sweatshorts % cvs -d crater:/cvs status Makefile.inc1 /usr/src|12:49:09
===================================================================
File: Makefile.inc1 Status: Needs Patch
Working revision: 1.101
Repository revision: 1.102 /cvs/src/Makefile.inc1,v
Commit Identifier: zV7uPbXLmK5jW17s
Sticky Tag: (none)
Sticky Date: (none)
Sticky Options: (none)
sweatshorts % rm CVS/Root /usr/src|12:52:44
sweatshorts % CVSROOT=crater:/cvs cvs status Makefile.inc1 /usr/src|12:52:48
===================================================================
File: Makefile.inc1 Status: Needs Patch
Working revision: 1.101
Repository revision: 1.102 /cvs/src/Makefile.inc1,v
Commit Identifier: zV7uPbXLmK5jW17s
Sticky Tag: (none)
Sticky Date: (none)
Sticky Options: (none)
so that only works when there is no CVS/Root file.
cheers
simon