Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP

Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

Frank J Wood

Kevin Tajeran

Charles F Clark

Gurraj Atwal

Shaun Wackerly

Craig Joseph Mills

Olaf Borowski

Scott A Gulland

A system for dynamically managing a configuration file of a switch is provided. During operation, the system can determine one or more groups of line specifications in a specification file. A respective line specification can indicate a format of a respective variant of a configuration command of the switch. The system can then annotate a respective group in the specification file with a corresponding label. Subsequently, the system can associate a respective configuration command of the configuration file with a label of a group based on matching the configuration command with the group.

Method and system for facilitating auto-annotation and dynamic display for switch configurations

Disclosed techniques provide just-in-time error detection and correction within a multi-edit session. The multi-edit session may have a scope definition across a subset of devices within a network, each device having a set of network configuration parameters. The system may be implemented, in part, by obtaining a restricted grammar language (RGL) rule set derived from devices on the network within and outside of the edit scope. After detecting an indication of an edit to configuration information, the techniques may compare the edit (e.g., unsaved or saved change) to the RGL. Based on detection of a suspect entry, information may be presented to a user of the multi-edit session. The information may include suggestions or corrections relative to user edits (e.g., just-in-time). The suggestions or corrections may be derived using the RGL based on consistency of the proposed edit with respect to information utilized to generate the RGL.

Error detection and correction for multiple document editor

A network configuration development environment is disclosed. In particular, an editor configured to interface with multiple network devices simultaneously, to view and adjust their device configuration settings, is provided. The network configuration development environment allows a system administrator to manage configuration definitions (e.g., run-time or start-up device configuration parameters) relative to a plurality of network devices simultaneously to achieve correctness and appropriate consistency for each of those devices in a network infrastructure. The network development environment may include an ability to apply changes directly to one or more network devices or to apply changes to stored 'configuration files' that are associated with individual devices. Changes to stored configurations may be applied automatically, for example, within a maintenance window for the network, in a controlled manner with a 'roll-back' capability in the event of failure or unexpected result as a consequence of the automatically applied changes.

System for simultaneous viewing and editing of multiple network device configurations

Systems and methods are provided for dynamic grammar augmentation for editing multiple network switch configuration files as a single file. The method includes identifying a first base grammar of a first network switch; identifying a second base grammar of a second network switch; identifying first and second patch grammars for the first and second network switches; generating an augmented grammar based on the first and second patch grammars and the first and second base grammars; identifying a first configuration file for the first network switch; identifying a second configuration file for the second network switch; generating a base merged configuration file, the base merged configuration file representing the first and second configuration files modified according to the augmented grammar.

Dynamic grammar augmentation for editing multiple network switch configuration files as a single file

Disclosed techniques provide a view and edit function to simultaneously view and edit multiple network device configurations. The techniques may include, parsing a plurality of different network device configuration documents (e.g., files representative of configuration settings). Parsing may then identify a set of slots and anchor points relative to locations of related parameter settings within each of the different network device configuration documents (e.g., a document per device). The slots may indicate a type of parameter setting and the anchor points indicating a relative location within a specific device configuration representative document. As a user makes a change to a parameter value, at least two files of the different network device configuration documents within a scope of an editing session may be identified to receive the change. Reverse mapping may be provided (e.g., by slots and anchor points) to properly implement this change for each different device.

Maintaining edit position for multiple document editor

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for performing network device configuration validation online. A second instance of the command process (a shadow interpreter) can be run within a isolated validation environment on a network device that is active on a network. A copy of the configuration database on the network device is associated with the isolated validation environment. The validation handler erases the currently running configuration commands within the validation copy of the configuration database, and enters each new configuration command through the shadow interpreter to validate the new configuration commands on the network device without impacting the current functioning of the network device. After all the new configuration commands are entered, the validation report generates a report identifying the validation status for each command.

Systems and methods for live, on-device configuration validation

Disclosed is a method and system to obtain a structured grammar, based on a restricted language (e.g., a known subset of a full language such as a computer language) that may assist with automated parsing and correlation of configuration files conforming to the structured grammar. Once obtained, a plurality of different network device configuration documents (e.g., config file information) may be parsed to create a scaffold view using slots for correlated data across the plurality of different network devices. For example, the scaffold view may include populated branches of the scaffold representative of the plurality of different network device configuration documents. Maintaining a correlation of source data to changes in a single view based on the scaffolding may be used to comprehensively view and edit configuration information.

Multiple document editing using rules for a restricted language

Disclosed is a client-server editing model to provide a client side interface to a server side multi-document editor (multi-edit capability) that may be used for editing multiple configuration documents (e.g., device configurations represented as documents) simultaneously. The sever side component may maintain information relating to multiple configuration documents by parsing a plurality of different network device configuration documents to create a set of slots and anchor points relative to locations of related parameter settings within each of the different network device configuration documents. The server side may transmit a condensed view of an area of interest to a remote client device along with location information that may be used to reverse map to original documents. Upon receiving user input a change may be implemented. Throughout the editing session data provided to a client side application could be logically compressed to avoid redundant information from multiple sources being provided.

Client server model for multiple document editor

A preferred embodiment apparatus for configuring network devices in a network includes a controller provided at a remote location on the network for receiving a configuration request from a user to configure a select user defined device. The controller translates the configuration request to another configuration request, and issues the translated configuration request to a select network device corresponding to the select user defined device for configuring the select network device. A translation enabling part allows the controller to translate the first configuration request received from the user to the second configuration request issued to the select network device.

Growing community of inventors

Roseville, CA, United States of America

Frank J Wood