A method comprising: performing , by one or more processors of a network device, a first request for onboarding information for the network device; processing, by the one or more processors, the onboarding information to determine that a first initialization of the network device has not occurred; in response to determining that the first initialization of the network device has not occurred, performing the first initialization by: configuring, by the one or more processors and with the onboarding information, the network device to mount at least a portion of a file system to a volatile memory of the network device and not a non-volatile memory of the network device, such that the at least a portion of the file system will not be retained in the volatile memory upon rebooting of the network device; and rebooting, by the one or more processors, the network device; after rebooting the network device: performing , by the one or more processors, a second request for the onboarding information for the network device; processing, by the one or more processors, the onboarding information to determine that the first initialization of the network device has occurred; and in response to determining that the first initialization of the network device has occurred, performing , by the one or more processors, a bootstrapping operation of the network device. performing , by one or more processors of a network device, a first request for onboarding information for the network device; processing, by the one or more processors, the onboarding information to determine that a first initialization of the network device has not occurred; in response to determining that the first initialization of the network device has not occurred, performing the first initialization by: configuring, by the one or more processors and with the onboarding information, the network device to mount at least a portion of a file system to a volatile memory of the network device and not a non-volatile memory of the network device, such that the at least a portion of the file system will not be retained in the volatile memory upon rebooting of the network device; and rebooting, by the one or more processors, the network device; configuring, by the one or more processors and with the onboarding information, the network device to mount at least a portion of a file system to a volatile memory of the network device and not a non-volatile memory of the network device, such that the at least a portion of the file system will not be retained in the volatile memory upon rebooting of the network device; and rebooting, by the one or more processors, the network device; after rebooting the network device: performing , by the one or more processors, a second request for the onboarding information for the network device; processing, by the one or more processors, the onboarding information to determine that the first initialization of the network device has occurred; and in response to determining that the first initialization of the network device has occurred, performing , by the one or more processors, a bootstrapping operation of the network device. performing , by the one or more processors, a second request for the onboarding information for the network device; processing, by the one or more processors, the onboarding information to determine that the first initialization of the network device has occurred; and in response to determining that the first initialization of the network device has occurred, performing , by the one or more processors, a bootstrapping operation of the network device. <EOS>