how to authenticate linux desktops on a linux server

[koi]

How can I do it?

I need to authenticate linux desktops on a linux server, in a way like when a desktop connect to the server it has to insert the correct name and password to start working; something like, for example, windows clients have to do when trying to authenticate to a linux samba server.

Sorry for my bad english, I hope to have been clear.

[till]

Maybe NIS is waht you are searching for:

http://www.linux-nis.org/nis/

An alternative will be to use a LDAP server.

[koi]

Thanks for replying
Which one of your 2 choices should be simpler to configure and more secure?
And, is it possible to do it (I mean authenticating) with samba too??