1. A computer-implemented method performed by a central management system for configuring a plurality of network devices, the method comprising: storing a plurality of shared configuration objects in a central configuration database for the central management system; receiving a first request to update a respective value of a first shared configuration object in the central configuration database with a first new value and updating the respective value of the first shared configuration object in the central configuration database with the first new value; responsive to the first request: selecting the plurality of network devices each storing a configuration object corresponding to the first shared configuration object of the central configuration database in a local configuration database; sending the first new value to the selected network devices where each network device updates a respective value of the network device's configuration object corresponding to the first shared configuration object in the network device's local configuration database with the first new value, and where the updated configuration object is used by the network device to configure how the network device processes a first plurality of packets; receiving a second request to update a respective value of a device-specific configuration object with a second new value, where the device-specific configuration object is not stored in the central configuration database; responsive to the second request: selecting a first network device in the plurality of network devices, where the first network device stores the device-specific configuration object in the first network device's local configuration database; and sending the second new value to the first network device where the first network device updates the respective value of the device-specific configuration object in the first network device's local configuration database with the second new value, and where the updated device-specific configuration object is used by the first device to configure how the first device processes a second plurality of packets; determining that the first network device received a third request not originating from the central management system to update the respective value of the first network device's configuration object corresponding to the first shared configuration object in the first network device's local configuration database; and responsive to determining that the first network device received the third request, generating a second configuration object in the central configuration database and updating the respective value of the second configuration object with the second new value; wherein the central management system associates the second configuration object with the first network device, and wherein the central management system disassociates the first shared configuration object with the first network device.