Programmable communication interface

A router comprising:

• a set of interface cards, wherein one of the interface cards comprises a programmable serial communication interface that complies with an industry standard and includes a controller to communicate data via a set of signals with another device in accordance with the industry standard,
• wherein the industry standard serial communication interface also includes a programmable register that defines a programmable override state;
• and
• a processor to configure the programmable serial communication interface by executing instructions to:
• receive a command that specifies a respective name associated with one of the signals;
• and
• store configuration data that defines the override state to the programmable register such that the controller communicates the data in accordance with the programmed override state for at least one of the signals and actual states for the remaining signals,
• wherein the configuration data sets an override polarity for the overridden one of the signals, and
• wherein the programmable serial communication interface communicates the data by selectively inverting the overridden one of the signals based on the override polarity.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions to cause a processor to:

• programmably set with a processor an override state for one of a plurality of signals of the industry standard serial communication interface for communication between network devices in response to a command received from client via a user interface, wherein the command specifies a respective name associated with the overridden one of the signals and identifies, from a set of interface cards, an interface card of the router that includes the industry standard serial communication interface;
• store configuration data that defines the override state to a programmable register of the industry standard serial communication interface included within the identified interface card, wherein the override state defines a logical characteristic for the overridden one of the signals to be used in place of a physical characteristic of an associated one of electrical connectors of the communication interface when the associated one of the electrical connectors conveys the overridden one of the signals;
• and
• communicate data with a controller of the industry standard serial communication interface via the electrical connectors in accordance with the programmed override state for the overridden one of the signals and actual states for the non-overridden signals, wherein the instructions cause the processor to programmably assert and de-assert the overridden one of the signals to override an actual voltage present on the electrical connector associated with the overridden one of the signals.