Using context-sensitive intelligent diffs to modify router configurations
US7287069B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 18, 2002 |
| Grant date | Oct 23, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 12, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L41/0816
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Methods and devices are disclosed for changing the configuration state of a network device such as a router, a switch or a similar device without the need for a person to interpret a textual diff. According to some aspects of the invention, a programmatic diff file that includes the output of two comparisons is used as an input file to a program that “rolls back” the current configuration state to a prior configuration state. According to other aspects of the invention, the output of a single comparison is input to an “incremental diff” process, which adds new commands to a configuration state. According to preferred aspects of the invention, the output files generated by the comparison processes preserve the hierarchical context of each command in a programmatic format that is usable as direct input by the network device or by another device (such as a host controlled by a network administrator) that performs the incremental diff.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.