By default, disk drives do not auto-mount in Ubuntu Server Edition. If you are looking for a lightweight solution that does not depend on HAL/DBUS, you can install "usbmount".
Interesting article you linked. The kernel of knowledge I gleaned was: "Failure to unmount before disconnecting the device can result in loss of data and/or a corrupted file system. There are no exceptions to this rule. Be safe - unmount your drives before disconnecting them! ".
Can you give an example why you like to install the unmount feature? Also, were you able to see how the usb drive is formatted for root and home persistence?
Cheers
I installed in in Zorin because DVD wasn't being mounted. USBmount sorted it out straightaway.
See the line re: DVD is not mounted automatically in Server editions. Simplest way I could find. (Only way)
[file manager] right click USB Device...click unmount. I almost always do this as I have way to many USB sticks that are corrupted. This is like the thingy in MS for "ejecting" a USB.