Abstract: A technique to manage a configuration database (CDB) for a network device is disclosed. Network devices may receive a configuration change request as a configuration change object. To process that request, a current configuration CLI set representative of the current CDB may be generated. The network device creates a shadow CDB initially corresponding to the current CDB and processes the change request against the shadow CDB. An updated configuration CLI set may then be generated from the updated shadow CDB. A differential CLI set indicating the difference between the first CLI set and the second CLI set may be generated to represent a set of CLI commands to transition from one CDB to the other (e.g., implement the request). Authorization of the user to execute the CLI commands of the differential CLI dataset may be verified. Upon verification, the current CDB may be replaced with the updated shadow CDB.

Abstract: An expression evaluation system is provided. During operation, the system can obtain an encoded expression associated with a user group of a network and evaluate the encoded expression for a first switch to determine a first set of commands that the user group is allowed to execute on the first switch. The encoded expression can encode a set of commands. The system can then determine validity of the first set of commands for the user group by determining whether a respective user of the user group should be allowed to execute the first set of commands on the first switch. If the system identifies an issue with the validity of the first set commands, the system can generate a notification indicating the issue.

Abstract: An expression evaluation system is provided. During operation, the system can obtain an encoded expression associated with a user group of a network and evaluate the encoded expression for a first switch to determine a first set of commands that the user group is allowed to execute on the first switch. The encoded expression can encode a set of commands. The system can then determine validity of the first set of commands for the user group by determining whether a respective user of the user group should be allowed to execute the first set of commands on the first switch. If the system identifies an issue with the validity of the first set commands, the system can generate a notification indicating the issue.

Abstract: A technique to manage a configuration database (CDB) for a network device is disclosed. Network devices may receive a configuration change request as a configuration change object. To process that request, a current configuration CLI set representative of the current CDB may be generated. The network device creates a shadow CDB initially corresponding to the current CDB and processes the change request against the shadow CDB. An updated configuration CLI set may then be generated from the updated shadow CDB. A differential CLI set indicating the difference between the first CLI set and the second CLI set may be generated to represent a set of CLI commands to transition from one CDB to the other (e.g., implement the request). Authorization of the user to execute the CLI commands of the differential CLI dataset may be verified. Upon verification, the current CDB may be replaced with the updated shadow CDB.