A storage server generates a device tree representing a maximal topology of the storage server, wherein the maximal topology is a maximum number of storage controllers and solid state drives (SSDs) that are supported by the storage server, and wherein a plurality of entries in the device tree contain placeholder information. The storage server discovers one or more SSDs of the storage server and determines drive information for the one or more SSDs that have been discovered. The storage server replaces the placeholder information in one or more of the plurality of entries in the device tree with the drive information for the one or more SSDs.