A system and method that facilitates the configuration and control of components of a radio frequency identification (RFID) system, taking into account how the RFID system components are associated with one or more physical locations within an environment in which the RFID system is deployed. The RFID system can be controlled by obtaining a representation of the physical space. Next, at least one region of interest is specified in the representation of the physical space. An interrogation zone is then specified in the representation of the physical space, in which the interrogation zone corresponds to the data reader. Next, at least one overlap region of the interrogation zone and the region of interest is specified. Information is then stored, including the representation, and the interest region, the interrogation zone, and/or the overlap region. Operation of the data reader is controlled as a function of the stored information.