Extending standalone router syntax to multi-chassis routers

A multi-chassis router comprising:

• a plurality of chassis having respective packet forwarding components, wherein each of the plurality of chassis includes a different set of interface card concentrators, each of the interface card concentrators having slots containing a corresponding set of interface cards;
• and
• a control node coupled to the plurality of chassis by a set of communication links,
• wherein the control node includes a management module to receive, from a user via a user interface, a command to configure one or more of the interface cards for one of the plurality of different sets of interface card concentrators in the multi-chassis router, wherein the command conforms to a syntax of a standalone router, wherein the syntax allows the user to specify each interface card concentrator in the plurality of different sets of interface card concentrators as a single set of sequentially labeled interface card concentrators of a standalone router, send the command to two or more chassis of the plurality of chassis, receive responses to the command from two or more chassis of the plurality of chassis, and output a combined response to the user interface in accordance with the syntax of the standalone router.

A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that cause a programmable processor in a network device to:

• receive, from a user via a user interface of a multi-chassis router having a plurality of chassis, a command to configure one or more interface cards for one of a plurality of different sets of interface card concentrators in the multi-chassis router, wherein each of the of the plurality of chassis includes a different set of the interface card concentrators, wherein the command conforms to a syntax of a standalone router, and wherein the syntax allows the user to specify each interface card concentrator in the plurality of different sets of interface card concentrators as a single set of sequentially labeled interface card concentrators of a standalone router;
• send, with a management module of the multi-chassis router, the command to two or more of the chassis within the multi-chassis router;
• receive a group of responses to the command with the management module, wherein the group of responses includes a response from two or more chassis within the multi-chassis router;
• and
• output, with the management module, a combined response to the user interface from the group of responses to a user interface in accordance with the syntax of the standalone router.

A method of configuring a multi-chassis router having a plurality of chassis, wherein each of the of the plurality of chassis includes a different set of a plurality of interface card concentrators, each of the interface card concentrators having slots containing a corresponding set of interface cards, the method comprising:

• receiving, from a user via a user interface of the multi-chassis router having the plurality of chassis, a command to configure one or more of the interface cards of the plurality of different sets of interface card concentrators in the multi-chassis router, wherein the command conforms to a syntax of a standalone router, and wherein the syntax allows the user to specify each interface card concentrator in the plurality of different sets of interface card concentrators as a single set of sequentially labeled interface card concentrators of a standalone router;
• selecting one or more of the chassis of the multi-chassis router based on the command;
• sending, with a management module of the multi-chassis router, the command to the selected chassis;
• receiving, with the management module, responses to the command, wherein the responses include a response from each of the selected chassis;
• and
• outputting, with the management module, a combined response to the user interface in accordance with the syntax of the standalone router.

A multi-chassis router comprising:

• a plurality of chassis having respective packet forwarding components, wherein each of the of the plurality of chassis includes a different set of interface card concentrators;
• and
• a control node coupled to the plurality of chassis by a set of communication links,
• wherein the control node includes a management module to receive, from a user via a user interface, a command to configure one or more of the interface cards of the plurality of different sets of interface card concentrators in the multi-chassis router,
• wherein the command conforms to a syntax of a standalone router in that the command specifies interface card concentrators in the plurality of different sets of interface card concentrators according to a single set of sequential labels,
• wherein the single set of sequential labels includes exactly one unique label for each of the interface card concentrators in the plurality of different sets of interface card concentrators,
• wherein the sequential labels do not directly identify the interface card concentrators as being associated with a particular one of the plurality of chassis,
• wherein the management module is also to send the command to two or more chassis of the plurality of chassis, receive responses to the command from two or more chassis of the plurality of chassis, and output a combined response to the user interface in accordance with the syntax of the standalone router,
• wherein the combined response identifies interface card concentrators in the plurality of different sets of interface card concentrators according to the single set of sequential labels.