Method and system for efficiently processing command line interface (cli) instructions on a network element

A system, comprising:

• a network element comprising:
• a command line interface (CLI) agent programmed to:
• receive CLI instructions comprising a CLI statement;
• make a determination that the CLI statement is a bypass statement;
• and
• process, based on the determination, the CLI statement using a command specific sub-agent, wherein processing by a set of nonspecific sub-agents is bypassed.

A non-transitory computer readable medium (CRM) comprising computer readable program code, which when executed by a computer processor, enables the computer processor to:

• receive, at a network element, first command line interface (CLI) instructions comprising a first CLI statement;
• make a first determination that the first CLI statement is a bypass statement;
• and
• process, based on the first determination, the first CLI statement using a first command specific sub-agent, wherein processing by a set of nonspecific sub-agents is bypassed.

The non-transitory CRM of claim :1.6, further comprising:

• receiving, by the network element, second CLI instructions comprising a second CLI statement;
• making a second determination that the second CLI statement is not a bypass statement;
• and
• processing, based on the second determination, the second CLI statement using a second command specific sub-agent after the second CLI statement is processed by the set of nonspecific sub-agents.