A system comprising a plurality of memory devices coupled by a common bus to a controller has a single serially coupled enable signal per channel. Each memory device or chip comprises a serial enable input and enable output and a register for storing a device identifier, e.g., chip ID. The memory devices are serially coupled by a serial enable link, for assertion of a single enable signal to all devices. This parallel data and serial enable configuration provides reduced per-channel pin count, relative to conventional systems that require a unique enable signal for each device. In operation, commands on the common bus targeting an individual device are asserted by adding an address field comprising a device identifier to each command string, preferably in an initial identification cycle of the command. Methods are also disclosed for initializing the system, comprising assigning device identifiers and obtaining a device count, prior to normal operation.