Version control for structured network configuration data

A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing program instructions that cause a device to execute a process comprising:

• decomposing a primary document composed of structured data into a plurality of subdocuments corresponding to atomic units of the structured data;
• storing, when the primary document is an initially committed version of the primary document, the primary document as a referenced collection of the plurality of subdocuments each uniquely identified and having an associated version, the referenced collection comprising, for each subdocument, an identifier of that subdocument and a version number of that subdocument;
• comparing, when the primary document is an updated version of the primary document, each of the plurality of subdocuments with its own previous version to determine whether there is a difference;
• storing, for subdocuments where there is a difference, a corresponding updated subdocument version to be referenced for the updated version of the primary document;
• and
• establishing, for subdocuments where there is no difference, a reference to a corresponding previously stored subdocument version for the updated version of the primary document.

An apparatus, comprising:

• one or more network interfaces to communicate with a network;
• a processor coupled to the one or more network interfaces and configured to execute one or more processes;
• and
• a memory configured to store a process that is executable by the processor, the process comprising:
• decomposing a primary document composed of structured data into a plurality of subdocuments corresponding to atomic units of the structured data;
• storing, when the primary document is an initially committed version of the primary document, the primary document as a referenced collection of the plurality of subdocuments each uniquely identified and having an associated version, the referenced collection comprising, for each subdocument, an identifier of that subdocument and a version number of that subdocument;
• comparing, when the primary document is an updated version of the primary document, each of the plurality of subdocuments with its own previous version to determine whether there is a difference;
• storing, for subdocuments where there is a difference, a corresponding updated subdocument version to be referenced for the updated version of the primary document;
• and
• establishing, for subdocuments where there is no difference, a reference to a corresponding previously stored subdocument version for the updated version of the primary document.