An apparatus to manage a set of switches in a computer network is described. In particular, a computer-readable medium to direct a computer network to function in a specified manner is provided. The computer-readable medium comprises instructions to configure a first switch of a set of switches as a first master switch and instructions to identify a first plurality of switches of the set of switches that are connected to the first master switch. The first plurality of switches includes a second switch and a third switch, and the second switch can be configured as a second master switch. The computer-readable medium also comprises instructions to modify an operational parameter associated with the third switch using the first master switch.