Abstract: A network device displays applied and non-applied configurations in different formats to facilitate distinguishing between active and inactive configurations. In this way, a user can readily distinguish, for example, between applied configurations for active interfaces from loaded configurations for inactive interfaces and non-applied configurations for active interfaces. Configuration information may be encoded using an extensible markup language to identify the type of configuration. The network device uses this type identification to determine whether a particular part of the configuration should be displayed in as normal text or as altered text. The part of the configuration that is displayed in the altered form may represent the non-applied configurations.

Abstract: In general, the invention facilitates diagnosing fault conditions, such as flapping, by permitting users to request information for specific components in a network device such as a router. The invention also facilitates the diagnosis of other fault conditions, including, but not limited to, excessive numbers of dropped packets, hard drive crashes, high temperature readings, and inactive interface cards. A user may obtain a targeted log containing information relating to selected fault conditions or other network device events, rather than a system log containing information relating to all network device events, some of which may not be of interest to the user. The targeted log may be parsed and analyzed with greater ease than the system log.