Method and apparatus for creating and managing network device port VLAN configurations

A method of managing VLAN configurations on a network device, the method comprising:

• receiving a connection, by a network device, from a client;
• serving up, to the client, a graphical user interface of the network device, wherein the graphical user interface enables a user of the client to input instructions for making a VLAN assignment, and wherein the graphical user interface comprises:
• a first area displaying a plurality of ports of the network device;
• and
• a second area displaying a configuration interface, the configuration interface enabling the user to make the VLAN assignment for each of the plurality of ports, both the first area and the second area being displayed on one page in the graphical user interface, wherein at least one of the VLAN assignments is made when the user clicks and drags at least one of the ports from the first area to a VLAN in the configuration interface in the second area, and wherein the graphical user interface enables displaying a port hybrid mode indicator that encloses a configured port in the first area and a matching port hybrid mode indicator that encloses a VLAN indicator of the configured port in the second area;
• and
• receiving, by the network device, a signal from the client, the signal encoding the instructions and enabling the network device to make the VLAN assignment.

A network device comprising:

• a plurality of ports;
• a processor;
• a storage medium;
• a configuration file stored in the storage medium;
• and
• a graphical user interface module, wherein the graphical user interface module is stored in the storage medium and configured to be executed by the processor, the graphical user interface module comprising:
• instructions for displaying, in a first area of a client device, a graphical representation of the plurality of ports of the network device;
• instructions for displaying, in a second area of the client device, a configuration interface, the configuration interface enabling a user of the client device to make a VLAN assignment for each of the plurality of ports, wherein at least one of the VLAN assignments is made when the user clicks and drags at least one of the ports from the first area to a VLAN in the configuration interface in the second area, wherein both the first area and the second area are displayed on one page in a graphical user interface of the client device, and wherein the graphical user interface enables displaying a port hybrid mode indicator that encloses a configured port in the first area and a matching port hybrid mode indicator that encloses a VLAN indicator of the configured port in the second area;
• and
• instructions for receiving, from the client device, a signal comprising a user input.