Abstract: A policy engine generates configlets that are vendor-neutral, vendor-specific or both, based on a selected target level and a selected device/device group. A translator translates and combines the configlets to form vendor-dependent configuration files. The policy engine generates the configlets using policies associated with the selected target level and its sub-target levels, as defined by a target level hierarchy. A policy includes at least a condition, and an action which the policy engine performs if the condition is true. In performing the action, the policy engine typically writes to at least a partial configlet. A policy may further include a verification clause, which is used to verify a running configuration. Policy dependencies may also be defined such that where a second policy is dependent on a first policy, the second policy must be evaluated after the first policy. This is necessary, where, for example, the first policy generates and stores a value to be used by the second policy.