Applying configuration group information to target configuration information

A machine-readable medium having stored thereon configuration information for use by a data forwarding device, the configuration information comprising:

• a) a configuration group including
• i) a configuration group name, and
• ii) configuration information;
• and
• b) target configuration information including, at a particular point in the target configuration information, an apply group instruction which identifies the configuration group name.

A data forwarding device comprising:

• a) a data forwarding table;
• b) a forwarding facility for forwarding data based on information in the data forwarding table;
• c) a storage facility for storing configuration information for use in the operation of the data forwarding device, the configuration information comprising:
• i) a configuration group including
• A) a configuration group name, and
• B) configuration information;
• and
• ii) target configuration information including, at a particular point in the target configuration information, an apply group instruction which identifies the configuration group name.

A machine-readable medium storing an instruction set for configuring a data processing device, the instruction set comprising:

• a) a first command supporting user input of a configuration group, the configuration group including
• i) a configuration group name, and
• ii) configuration information;
• b) a second command supporting user input of a target configuration;
• and
• c) a third command supporting user input of a point in the target configuration to inherit the configuration information of the configuration group,
• wherein the third command supports user input of an apply-group instruction, which identifies the configuration group name, at the point in the target configuration.

A machine-readable medium storing an instruction set for configuring a data processing device, the instruction set comprising:

• a) a first command supporting user input of a configuration group, the configuration group including
• i) a configuration group name, and
• ii) configuration information;
• b) a second command supporting user input of a target configuration;
• and
• c) a third command supporting user input of a point in the target configuration to inherit the configuration information of the configuration group,
• wherein the first command supports user input of the configuration group via a command line interface, wherein the second command supports user input of a target configuration via the command line interface, and wherein the third command supports user input of a point in the target configuration to inherit the configuration information of the configuration group via the command line interface.