Patent ID: 7464145

Claim:
A network device management system comprising: a storage facility to store at least one configuration knowledge instance and at least one configuration data instance for each of a plurality of network devices, wherein each of the plurality of network devices is configured to have multiple versioned instances of configuration knowledge and configuration data, each versioned instance of configuration data being created at a different point in time, wherein the instances of configuration knowledge describe physical and logical capabilities of the plurality of network devices and the instances of configuration data describe the physical and logical capabilities utilized by the plurality of network devices, wherein each versioned instance of configuration knowledge comprises at least one configuration knowledge schemata defining one or more capabilities of a network device; an assembler in communication with the storage facility, the assembler being capable of accessing the configuration knowledge instances and configuration data instances and assembling a device configuration from a selected one or more configuration knowledge instances and one or more configuration data instances; and a data entry facility for creating, modifying, and deleting said configuration knowledge instances and said configuration data instances.