System and method for transforming configuration commands

Abstract

A system and method for generating network device-specific configuration commands from device-neutral configuration commands is described. To generate a device-specific configuration command from a device-neutral configuration command, the described device, in one embodiment, determines a target network device's characteristics. Using that characteristic data, a lookup key is generated for the code that is being converted from a device-neutral format to a device-specific format. That lookup key can be used to access a configuration schema and to locate the information necessary for converting the command to a device-specific format. Using the configuration schema, the device-specific configuration command can be generated.

1 . A method for configuring a network device associated with a device-neutral configuration code, the method comprising: 
 identifying configuration schema material corresponding to the network device;    locating, using the identified configuration schema material, a first portion of device-neutral configuration code and a second portion of the device-neutral configuration code, wherein the first portion corresponds to a first device-specific command and the second portion corresponds to a second device-specific command;    assembling the first device-specific command from the first portion of the device-neutral configuration code;    assembling the second device-specific command from the second portion of the device-neutral configuration code;    arranging the first device-specific command and the second device-specific command in an order expected by the network device; and    providing the arranged first and second device-specific commands for delivery to the network device.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device-neutral configuration code is an original device-neutral configuration code, the method comprising: 
 generating a marked-up device-neutral configuration code from the original device-neutral configuration code; and    identifying the difference between the original device-neutral configuration code and the marked-up device-neutral configuration code;    wherein the assembled first device-specific command corresponds to at least a portion of the identified difference.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the locating includes locating a device-specific command boundary in the device-neutral configuration code using the identified configuration schema material, the device-specific command boundary indicating the boundary between a first portion of the device-neutral configuration code and a second portion of the device-neutral configuration code.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 identifying a change made to the device-neutral configuration code;    wherein the assembled first device-specific command corresponds to the identified change.    
     
     
         5 . A method for configuring a network device associated with a device-neutral configuration code, the method comprising: 
 determining a characteristic for the network device;    identifying configuration schema material corresponding to the determined characteristic;    assembling a first and second device-specific commands corresponding to the device-neutral configuration code and corresponding to the identified configuration schema material;    arranging the first and second device-specific commands in an order expected by the network device; and    sending the first and second device-specific commands to the network device in the order expected by the network device.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 locating a device-specific command boundary in the device-neutral configuration code using the identified configuration schema material;    wherein assembling the first and second device-specific commands uses the located device-specific command boundary.    
     
     
         7 . A method for configuring a network device associated with a device-neutral configuration code, the method comprising: 
 determining a characteristic for the network device;    identifying configuration schema material corresponding to the determined characteristic;    assembling at least a first device-specific command corresponding to the device-neutral configuration code and corresponding to the identified configuration schema material;    providing the assembled device-specific command for delivery to the network device; and    locating a device-specific command boundary in the device-neutral configuration code using the identified configuration schema material;    wherein assembling the at least a first device-specific command uses the located device-specific command boundary.    
     
     
         8 . A method for configuring a network device associated with a device-neutral configuration code, the method comprising: 
 identifying configuration schema material corresponding to the network device;    locating a device-specific command boundary in the device-neutral configuration code using the identified configuration schema material, the device-specific command boundary indicating the boundary between a first portion of the device-neutral configuration code and a second portion of the device-neutral configuration code, wherein the first portion corresponds to a first device-specific command and the second portion corresponds to a second device-specific command;    assembling the first device-specific command from the first portion of the device-neutral configuration code;    assembling the second device-specific command from the second portion of the device-neutral configuration code; and    providing the assembled device-specific commands for delivery to the network device.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the device-neutral configuration code is an original device-neutral configuration code, the method comprising: 
 generating a marked-up device-neutral configuration code from the original device-neutral configuration code; and    identifying the difference between the original device-neutral configuration code and the marked-up device-neutral configuration code;    wherein the assembled first device-specific command corresponds to at least a portion of the identified difference.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 identifying a change made to the device-neutral configuration code;    wherein the assembled first device-specific command corresponds to the identified change.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 arranging the first device-specific command and the second device-specific command in an order expected by the network device.    
     
     
         12 . A system for configuring a network device associated with a device-neutral configuration code, the system comprising: 
 at least a first processor;    at least a first memory device connected to the processor; and    a plurality of instruction stored on the at least a first memory device, the plurality of instructions configured to cause the at least a first processor to: 
 determine a characteristic for the network device;  
 identify configuration schema material corresponding to the determined characteristic;  
   assemble at least a first device-specific command corresponding to the device-neutral configuration code and corresponding to the identified configuration schema material; and    provide the assembled device-specific command for delivery to the network device.    
     
     
         14 . The system of claim  13 , wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to cause the at least a first processor to: 
 locate a device-specific command boundary in the device-neutral configuration code using the identified configuration schema material;    wherein assembling the at least a first device-specific command uses the located device-specific command boundary.    
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a device-neutral configuration storage device.    
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a schema corresponding to the network device, the schema being storable on the device-neutral configuration storage device.    
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a device-neutral configuration generator.    
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a graphical user interface for modifying the device-neutral configuration code.