A system and method for efficiently obtaining user configuration information for a given device. Multiple devices are deployed in an environment and may be storage appliances. A directory service and an authentication service may be used to determine whether a login session attempt on a deployed device is successful. An identity and access manager (IAM) is used to for this determination and to communicate with the directory service and the authentication service. A device of the one or more of the deployed devices does not store user configuration information. Responsive to an attempted login by a user, the device mimics the existence of the user and generates a request for directory lookup and authentication for the user which is conveyed to an external device. If a positive response is received in response to the request, the user is permitted to login to the device and a session is created for the user.