Extensible network management system

A method of assembling a computer program based on a plurality of functional units, each functional unit comprising at least one executable program component that is associated with a device in a network, the method comprising the steps of:

• (A) obtaining a device identifier from the device;
• (B) creating and storing a device-specific container for a set of the executable program components that are associated with the device;
• (C) mapping at least one of the executable program components to an overriding executable program component in association with the device identifier;
• and
• (D) integrating the overriding executable program component into the device-specific container.

A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for preparing a computer program for execution in relation to a particular network device among a plurality of network devices having a plurality of device types, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

• storing a plurality of executable program components;
• storing a first mapping of at least one of the device types to at least one overridden executable program component and at least one overriding executable program component;
• determining a current device type from among the device types;
• storing a subset of the plurality of executable components corresponding to the current device type according to a final execution order associated with the current device type;
• and
• in the final execution order, substituting the overriding executable component for the overridden executable component when the current device type is found in the first mapping.

An apparatus for preparing a computer program for execution in relation to a particular network device among a plurality of network devices having a plurality of device types, comprising:

• means for storing a plurality of executable program components;
• means for storing a first mapping of at least one of the device types to at least one overridden executable program component and at least one overriding executable program component;
• means for determining a current device type from among the device types;
• means for storing a subset of the plurality of executable components corresponding to the current device type according to a final execution order associated with the current device type;
• and
• means for, in the final execution order, substituting the overriding executable component for the overridden executable component when the current device type is found in the first mapping.

An apparatus for preparing a computer program for execution in relation to a particular network device among a plurality of network devices having a plurality of device types, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• one or more storage devices that are accessible to the processors for storing data therein;
• one or more sequences of instructions stored in the one or more storage devices, which instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:
• storing a plurality of executable program components;
• storing a first mapping of at least one of the device types to at least one overridden executable program component and at least one overriding executable program component;
• determining a current device type from among the device types;
• storing a subset of the plurality of executable components corresponding to the current device type according to a final execution order associated with the current device type;
• and
• in the final execution order, substituting the overriding executable component for the overridden executable component when the current device type is found in the first mapping.