Disclosed are methods and systems to provide coordinated identification of data items across a plurality of distributed data storage repositories (datastores). In one disclosed embodiment, a single configuration management database (CMDB) controls identification rights for all CIs as they are first identified in a master/slave relationship with all other CMDBs in the distributed environment. In a second embodiment, a plurality of CMDBs divide identification rights based upon coordination identification rules where certain CMDBs are assigned authoritative identification rights for CIs matching the rules of a particular CMDB in the distributed environment. In a third embodiment, one or more of the plurality of CMDBs may also have advisory identification rights for CIs which do not already have an identifiable unique identity and can coordinate with an authoritative CMDB to establish an identity for CIs.