Flexible communication-device management via multiple user interfaces

Abstract

A computer network device (such as an access point, a switch or a router) that has multiple user interfaces is described. During operation, the computer network device may execute program instructions for the user interfaces and a shared messaging module, where a given user interface includes an agent corresponding to an application. When a message associated with the application is received via a user interface in the user interfaces, the corresponding agent in the user interface may extract a command or operation from the message. Then, the shared messaging module may translate the command or operation into a common format of the application. Moreover, the shared messaging module may provide (or route) the translated command or operation addressed to the application via a single communication path associated with the application and the agents for the application in the user interfaces.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer network device, comprising:
 an interface circuit;   a processor; and   memory configured to store program instructions for multiple user interfaces and a shared messaging module, wherein, when executed by the processor, the program instructions cause the computer network device to perform operations comprising:
 executing the program instructions for the user interfaces and the shared messaging module, wherein a given user interface comprises an agent corresponding to an application; 
 when a message associated with the application is received via a user interface in the user interfaces, extracting, using the corresponding agent in the user interface, a command or operation from the message; 
 translating, using the shared messaging module, the command or operation into a common format of the application; and 
 providing, using the shared messaging module, the translated command or operation addressed to the application via a single communication path associated with the application and the agents for the application in the user interfaces. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer network device of  claim 1 , wherein the computer network device comprises an access point, a switch, or a router. 
     
     
         3 . The computer network device of  claim 1 , wherein external communication with the user interfaces comprises non-inter-process communication, and the communication between the shared messaging module and at least the application comprises inter-process communication. 
     
     
         4 . The computer network device of  claim 1 , wherein the application is associated with configuration of the computer network device, monitoring of the computer network device, or both. 
     
     
         5 . The computer network device of  claim 1 , wherein the application is associated with a computer or a computer system. 
     
     
         6 . The computer network device of  claim 1 , wherein, when there are multiple applications, the given user interface comprises multiple agents corresponding to the applications. 
     
     
         7 . The computer network device of  claim 1 , wherein instances of the command or the operation in messages received via different user interfaces are indistinguishable from each other after translation into the common format by the shared messaging module. 
     
     
         8 . The computer network device of  claim 1 , wherein the application is unaware which of the user interfaces provided the command or the operation. 
     
     
         9 . The computer network device of  claim 1 , wherein the common format is not based on a data model associated with one of the user interfaces. 
     
     
         10 . The computer network device of  claim 1 , wherein the user interfaces comprise one or more of: a command line interface, a web-based user interface, RESTConf, or a simple network management protocol (SNMP) interface. 
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for use in conjunction with a computer network device, the computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions for user interfaces and a shared messaging module that, when executed by the computer network device, causes the computer network device to perform operations comprising:
 executing the program instructions for the user interfaces and the shared messaging module, wherein a given user interface comprises an agent corresponding to an application;   when a message associated with the application is received via a user interface in the user interfaces, extracting, using the corresponding agent in the user interface, a command or operation from the message;   translating, using the shared messaging module, the command or operation into a common format of the application; and   providing, using the shared messaging module, the translated command or operation addressed to the application via a single communication path associated with the application and the agents for the application in the user interfaces.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the computer network device comprises an access point, a switch, or a router. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein external communication with the user interfaces comprises non-inter-process communication, and the communication between the shared messaging module and at least the application comprises inter-process communication. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the application is associated with configuration of the computer network device, monitoring of the computer network device, or both. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the application is associated with a computer or a computer system. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein, when there are multiple applications, the given user interface comprises multiple agents corresponding to the applications. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein instances of the command or the operation in messages received via different user interfaces are indistinguishable from each other after translation into the common format by the shared messaging module. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the application is unaware which of the user interfaces provided the command or the operation. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the common format is not based on a data model associated with one of the user interfaces. 
     
     
         20 . A method for providing a command or an operation, comprising:
 by a computer network device:   executing program instructions for user interfaces and a shared messaging module, wherein a given user interface comprises an agent corresponding to an application;   when a message associated with the application is received via a user interface in the user interfaces, extracting, using the corresponding agent in the user interface, the command or the operation from the message;   translating, using the shared messaging module, the command or operation into a common format of the application; and   providing, using the shared messaging module, the translated command or operation addressed to the application via a single communication path associated with the application and the agents for the application in the user interfaces.