A method for determining a master ring for an optical communications network having nodes arranged in a plurality of interconnected ring structures. (A master ring is a ring structure which contains every node in the network exactly once, and which also respects the node ordering of every individual ring.) An efficient solution to the master ring problem is provided by advantageously limiting the enumeration process based on the consistency of the enumeration of individual rings with each other. Illustratively, an intersection graph of the network is generated; one or more of the rings is chosen and possible openings of each of these rings are enumerated; and a limited number of possible openings of one or more other (i.e., non-chosen) rings are enumerated such that the enumeration of the possible openings of the other (i.e., non-chosen) rings are consistent therewith.