Reduction of configuration time upon deployment of a configurable device in a shared resource environment

A computer rack system includes a plurality of chassis of servers and power supplies and other equipment, as desired, mated to the rack. Each server chassis can accommodate a plurality of servers. The various servers located in a chassis couple to a chassis communication module and the various server chassis couple together via the chassis communication modules. Each server is initially configured when installed into the rack. When a server is activated, logic in the server determines whether the server has been configured. If the server has not been configured, the server submits a request to its chassis communication module. The request includes an indication as to the type of server being configured. The chassis communication module then determines whether another server of the same type in the rack has been configured. If such a server exists, that server's configuration is provided to the server being configured.