In general, techniques are described for managing, with a network controller for a computer network, the configuration of network devices within the computer network using one or more message buses. In some examples, a controller includes processing circuitry coupled to memory. The processing circuitry is configured to generate data for implementing a configuration change for a network device and store, to a configuration database, the data for implementing the configuration change for the network device. The processing circuitry is further configured to add, to a message queue of a message bus executed by one or more or more computing devices separate from the controller, an indication of the configuration change for the network device to cause the network device to obtain, from the configuration database, the data for implementing the configuration change for the network device.