In one example, a network management system (NMS) device manages a plurality of network devices including first and second network devices. Initially the first and second network devices are configured according to a first high-level configuration. The NMS is configured to determine a difference between the first high-level configuration and a second high-level configuration, apply a first transformation function, specific to the first network device, to the difference to generate a first low-level configuration change specific to the first device, apply a second transformation function, specific to the second network device, to the difference to generate a second low-level configuration change specific to the second device, configure the first device with the first low-level configuration change, and configure the second device with the second low-level configuration change.