Method and apparatus for configuration syntax and semantic validation

• US 20060004742A1
• Filed: 06/08/2005
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Guntakala, Chandrasekhar, Somepalli, Prasanthi, Vengalam, Praveen, Datla, Krishnam Raju, Beereddy, Srinivasa
• Granted Patent: US 8,010,952 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0866 Checking the configuration

Abstract

Syntax and semantic validation of network commands use a command database that has been learned automatically for validation of the syntax and the semantics of command line interface commands before applying the same commands on a device of interest.

Claims

1. A method, comprising the machine-implemented steps of:

receiving user input representing at least a part of one or more commands for a network device;

displaying the command part as the user input is entered;

interpreting the command part as the user input is entered to identify one or more syntax errors or semantic errors in the user input;

in response to identifying one or more syntax errors or semantic errors in the user input, generating and displaying a modified display that identifies the one or more syntax errors or semantic errors.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the interpreting includes validating the user input against a stored knowledge base of command syntax and semantics associated with a type of device that includes the network device and with a current command view.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the modified display identifies the one or more syntax errors or semantic errors by displaying the user input in a first color and displaying the errors in a second color.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the interpreting is performed without connecting to the network device.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the interpreting includes validating the user mechanism input against a stored knowledge base of command syntax and semantics associated with a type of device that includes the network device and with a current command view, wherein the device knowledge bases of different type of devices are interpreted to produce a common command knowledge base that represents one or more commands common to all the devices.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the devices with common commands have different versions of operating system software.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising concurrently receiving the user input at auto learning logic, wherein the auto learning logic interprets the user input and forms a stored knowledge base of command syntax and semantics associated with a type of device that includes the network device and with a current command view.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein interpreting includes determining a current command view applicable to the command part and interpreting the command part based upon syntax and semantics in the knowledge base that are applicable to the current command view.

9. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for performing syntax validation and semantic validation of commands for a network device, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

receiving user input representing at least a part of one or more commands for a network device;

displaying the command part as the user input is entered;

interpreting the command part as the user input is entered to identify one or more syntax errors or semantic errors in the user input;

in response to identifying one or more syntax errors or semantic errors in the user input, generating and displaying a modified display that identifies the one or more syntax errors or semantic errors.

10. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 9, wherein the interpreting includes validating the user input against a stored knowledge base of command syntax and semantics associated with a type of device that includes the network device and with a current command view.

11. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 9, wherein the modified display identifies the one or more syntax errors or semantic errors by displaying the user input in a first color and displaying the errors in a second color.

12. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 9, wherein the interpreting is performed without connecting to the network device.

13. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 9, wherein the interpreting includes validating the user mechanism input against a stored knowledge base of command syntax and semantics associated with a type of device that includes the network device and with a current command view, wherein the device knowledge bases of different type of devices are interpreted to produce a common command knowledge base that represents one or more commands common to all the devices.

14. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the devices with common commands have different versions of operating system software.

15. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 9, further comprising concurrently receiving the user input at auto learning logic, wherein the auto learning logic interprets the user input and forms a stored knowledge base of command syntax and semantics associated with a type of device that includes the network device and with a current command view.

16. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 9, wherein interpreting includes determining a current command view applicable to the command part and interpreting the command part based upon syntax and semantics in the knowledge base that are applicable to the current command view.

17. An apparatus for performing syntax validation and semantic validation of commands for a network device, comprising:

means for receiving user input representing at least a part of one or more commands for a network device;

means for displaying the command part as the user input is entered;

means for interpreting the command part as the user input is entered to identify one or more syntax errors or semantic errors in the user input;

means for generating and displaying a modified display that identifies one or more syntax errors or semantic errors in response to identifying the one or more syntax errors or semantic errors in the user input.

18. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the interpreting includes validating the user input against a stored knowledge base of command syntax and semantics associated with a type of device that includes the network device and with a current command view.

19. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the modified display identifies the one or more syntax errors or semantic errors by displaying the user input in a first color and displaying the errors in a second color.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the interpreting is performed without connecting to the network device.

21. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the interpreting includes validating the user mechanism input against a stored knowledge base of command syntax and semantics associated with a type of device that includes the network device and with a current command view, wherein the device knowledge bases of different type of devices are interpreted to produce a common command knowledge base that represents one or more commands common to all the devices.

22. An apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein the devices with common commands have different versions of operating system software.

23. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, further comprising concurrently receiving the user input at auto learning logic, wherein the auto learning logic interprets the user input and forms a stored knowledge base of command syntax and semantics associated with a type of device that includes the network device and with a current command view.

24. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein interpreting includes determining a current command view applicable to the command part and interpreting the command part based upon syntax and semantics in the knowledge base that are applicable to the current command view.

25. An apparatus for performing syntax validation and semantic validation of commands for a network device, comprising:

one or more processors;

a command knowledge base;

one or more stored sequences of instructions organized as auto learning logic, a syntax checking engine, and a semantics validation engine, and which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of;

receiving user input representing at least a part of one or more commands for a network device;

displaying the command part as the user input is entered;

interpreting the command part as the user input is entered to identify one or more syntax errors or semantic errors in the user input;

in response to identifying one or more syntax errors or semantic errors in the user input, generating and displaying a modified display that identifies the one or more syntax errors or semantic errors.

26. An apparatus as recited in claim 25, wherein the interpreting includes validating the user input against the stored knowledge base of command syntax and semantics associated with a type of device that includes the network device and with a current command view.

27. An apparatus as recited in claim 25, wherein the modified display identifies the one or more syntax errors or semantic errors by displaying the user input in a first color and displaying the errors in a second color.

28. An apparatus as recited in claim 25, wherein the interpreting is performed without connecting to the network device.

29. An apparatus as recited in claim 25, wherein the interpreting includes validating the user mechanism input against a stored knowledge base of command syntax and semantics associated with a type of device that includes the network device and with a current command view, wherein the device knowledge bases of different type of devices are interpreted to produce a common command knowledge base that represents one or more commands common to all the devices.

30. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the devices with common commands have different versions of operating system software.

31. An apparatus as recited in claim 25, further comprising concurrently receiving the user input at auto learning logic, wherein the auto learning logic interprets the user input and forms a stored knowledge base of command syntax and semantics associated with a type of device that includes the network device and with a current command view.

32. An apparatus as recited in claim 25, wherein interpreting includes determining a current command view applicable to the command part and interpreting the command part based upon syntax and semantics in the knowledge base that are applicable to the current command view.