Abstract: Disclosed herein are network elements for use in a transport network. The network elements may comprise an embedded device comprising a processor, a communication device, and a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a common client interface comprising processor-executable code that when executed causes the processor to, responsive to receiving a request from a particular one of a plurality of client applications: allocate one or more system resource for the particular one of the plurality of client applications, the one or more system resource based at least in part on a request type of the request; establish, with the communication device, a connection with a remote network element in the transport network; and transmit the request to the remote network element; and responsive to receiving a response from the remote network element, transmit the response to the particular one of the plurality of client applications.