Command line interface for reducing user input in a network management device

Abstract

A command line interface for a network management platform includes a parser that parses and validates inputs entered at a command line, a command processor that, responsive to validation of a command, causes an operation specified by the command to be performed, and an output facility that presents outputs of the command line interface. The parser preferably enforces a syntax addressing a plurality of attributes of a network device as a tree-like hierarchy including at least two containers. The parser permits network device attributes, which are each contained in at least one container, to be contained by multiple containers of the same type so that such attributes are addressable via a plurality of different access paths. The output facility preferably provides one or more outputs for operations specified by processed input commands, and the one or more outputs preferably include at least one output command specifying a network management operation to be performed. To facilitate entry of valid inputs, the command line interface may be further equipped with an input assistance facility that causes the output facility to present, for a selected network device in the communication network, a prompt for each of a plurality of attribute names that specifies possible attribute values for the plurality of attribute names.