Patent ID: 7823069

Claim:
A method for dynamically representing a configuration of a network device on a user interface, the method comprising: storing a data model, wherein the data model represents a plurality of configuration command lines for the configuration of the network device, the plurality of configuration command lines being organized in configuration command blocks; detecting that an expand-collapse indicator has been selected for at least one of the configuration command blocks and controlling the representation of the configuration command lines in a hierarchical structure, wherein a selected expand indicator for the at least one configuration command block allows viewing of each configuration command line therein on the user interface, and wherein a selected collapse indicator for the at least one configuration command block allows hiding of each configuration command line therein on the user interface while maintaining each of the hidden configuration commands in the data model; defining contextual-linkage rules between at least two of the configuration command blocks for the network device using the text editor on the user interface, the defined contextual-linkage rules being stored in a user-editable file that is separate from the data model such that the user editable file containing the defined contextual-linkage rules is specific to a user and persistent for subsequent accesses by the user without changing the data model, wherein the defined contextual-linkage rules allow navigation directly between the at least two of the configuration command blocks on the user interface by designation of source and destination anchors from among the at least two configuration command blocks; rendering the configuration of the network device by parsing each configuration command, expand-collapse check indicator, and defined contextual-linkage rules from the user-editable file on the data model to provide a dynamically customized view of the configuration of the network device, wherein the dynamically customized view of the configuration of the network device is directly navigable from the source anchor to the destination anchor on the user interface; and visually representing in textual form, the rendered configuration on a window of the user interface for navigation of the configuration of the network device from the data model, wherein detection of a pointer over the source anchor in the visual representation produces a snapshot display of all lines of the destination anchor on the user interface proximate to the source anchor.