A method for assigning device identifiers to unknown devices (204, 206, 208, 210, 212) in a system of network devices (202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212), comprising: maintaining, by a master device in the system of network devices, a first configuration that specifies a first set of links between a first group of network devices (202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212) in the system, wherein the first set of links includes one or more provisional links that are user-defined and do not exist in a physical topology of the system, and wherein the first configuration specifies, for each link in the first set of links, device identifiers for network devices located at endpoints of the link; generating (404, 502), by the master device, a second configuration that specifies a second set of links between a second group of devices (202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212) in the system, wherein the second set of links includes one or more existing links in the physical topology of the system, wherein one or more network devices in the second group are unknown devices that are not associated with a device identifier in the physical topology, and wherein the second set of links include at least one link that is not in the first set of links; assigning (406, 504), by the master device, device identifiers to the unknown devices in the second group by: traversing the second set of links and checking for corresponding links in the first set of links; and if a corresponding link is found in the first set of links that leads to an unknown device in the second group, assigning the unknown device a device identifier for a corresponding network device at an endpoint of the corresponding link; transmitting, by the master device, the assigned device identifiers to the unknown devices for local storage on the unknown devices; merging, by the master device, the first set of links with the second set of links to generate a merged configuration for the system; and storing the merged configuration in a nonvolatile memory of the master device. maintaining, by a master device in the system of network devices, a first configuration that specifies a first set of links between a first group of network devices (202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212) in the system, wherein the first set of links includes one or more provisional links that are user-defined and do not exist in a physical topology of the system, and wherein the first configuration specifies, for each link in the first set of links, device identifiers for network devices located at endpoints of the link; generating (404, 502), by the master device, a second configuration that specifies a second set of links between a second group of devices (202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212) in the system, wherein the second set of links includes one or more existing links in the physical topology of the system, wherein one or more network devices in the second group are unknown devices that are not associated with a device identifier in the physical topology, and wherein the second set of links include at least one link that is not in the first set of links; assigning (406, 504), by the master device, device identifiers to the unknown devices in the second group by: traversing the second set of links and checking for corresponding links in the first set of links; and if a corresponding link is found in the first set of links that leads to an unknown device in the second group, assigning the unknown device a device identifier for a corresponding network device at an endpoint of the corresponding link; transmitting, by the master device, the assigned device identifiers to the unknown devices for local storage on the unknown devices; merging, by the master device, the first set of links with the second set of links to generate a merged configuration for the system; and storing the merged configuration in a nonvolatile memory of the master device. traversing the second set of links and checking for corresponding links in the first set of links; and if a corresponding link is found in the first set of links that leads to an unknown device in the second group, assigning the unknown device a device identifier for a corresponding network device at an endpoint of the corresponding link; transmitting, by the master device, the assigned device identifiers to the unknown devices for local storage on the unknown devices; merging, by the master device, the first set of links with the second set of links to generate a merged configuration for the system; and storing the merged configuration in a nonvolatile memory of the master device.