A system comprising: memory; and one or more processors coupled to the memory, the one or more processors being configured to: connect from the system to a seed network device through a first connection , the seed network device being behind a network address translation device relative to the system, wherein the first connection is a secure shell "ssh" connection; discover, through the first connection, a plurality of neighboring network devices (14B-14G) that neighbor the seed network device, the plurality of neighboring network devices being behind the network address translation device relative to the system; initiate second connections from the system to the plurality of neighboring network devices through the seed device tunneled through the first connection, wherein the second connections are ssh connections; commit, through the tunneled second connections, an activation configuration on each of the plurality of neighboring network devices, each activation configuration being unique to one of the plurality of neighboring network devices; and in response to the committing of the activation configurations, accept a request for non-tunneled ssh connection from each of the plurality of neighboring network devices. memory; and one or more processors coupled to the memory, the one or more processors being configured to: connect from the system to a seed network device through a first connection , the seed network device being behind a network address translation device relative to the system, wherein the first connection is a secure shell "ssh" connection; discover, through the first connection, a plurality of neighboring network devices (14B-14G) that neighbor the seed network device, the plurality of neighboring network devices being behind the network address translation device relative to the system; initiate second connections from the system to the plurality of neighboring network devices through the seed device tunneled through the first connection, wherein the second connections are ssh connections; commit, through the tunneled second connections, an activation configuration on each of the plurality of neighboring network devices, each activation configuration being unique to one of the plurality of neighboring network devices; and in response to the committing of the activation configurations, accept a request for non-tunneled ssh connection from each of the plurality of neighboring network devices. connect from the system to a seed network device through a first connection , the seed network device being behind a network address translation device relative to the system, wherein the first connection is a secure shell "ssh" connection; discover, through the first connection, a plurality of neighboring network devices (14B-14G) that neighbor the seed network device, the plurality of neighboring network devices being behind the network address translation device relative to the system; initiate second connections from the system to the plurality of neighboring network devices through the seed device tunneled through the first connection, wherein the second connections are ssh connections; commit, through the tunneled second connections, an activation configuration on each of the plurality of neighboring network devices, each activation configuration being unique to one of the plurality of neighboring network devices; and in response to the committing of the activation configurations, accept a request for non-tunneled ssh connection from each of the plurality of neighboring network devices. <EOS>