login question

[Vulpes Velox]

Here is what I want to do...

1: Set up a server for storing users/groups/permissions/passwords.
2: Export it to other machines, with out exporting the file to all machines.
3: Set up other machines to check that when some on tries to login.

How would I go about setting this up?

I looked at Kerberos briefly in the handbook, but that only appeared to be for
remote access. What or where should I look at for more information to set this
up?