Patent Document ID: 9823916
Application ID: 14865764
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. An apparatus, comprising: a network device configured to be included within a plurality of network devices including at least one access switch and at least one aggregation switch and operatively coupled within a network, the network device configured to receive information indicating a set of differences between a first image to be installed on the network device, and a base image, the network device configured to compare the set of differences between the first image and the base image, to a set of differences between a second image installed on a network device of the plurality of network devices and the base image, to determine (1) when the first image and the second image include at least one incompatible critical feature, the at least one incompatible critical feature including at least one feature associated with enabling communication between the plurality of network devices, and (2) when the first image and the second image include at least one incompatible non-critical feature, the at least one incompatible non-critical feature including a firewall filter included in the first image but not in the second image, the network device configured to send a signal associated with a first action if the first image and the second image include the at least one incompatible critical feature, the network device configured to send a signal associated with a second action different from the first action if the first image and the second image include the at least one incompatible non-critical feature.