US Patent 11777800 Identifying out-of-band configuration changes to validate intent files

A controller device manages a plurality of network devices. The controller device includes a memory comprising a configuration database including a set of stored network device configurations, wherein each stored network device configuration of the set of stored network device configurations corresponds to a network device of the set of network devices. Additionally, the controller device includes processing circuitry configured to receive an intent file corresponding to an intended configuration for the set of network devices; receive a message from a network device of the set of network devices indicating an out-of-band configuration change at the network device; and determine, based on a stored network device configuration corresponding to the network device and an actual configuration of the network device, whether the intent file is compatible with the out-of-band configuration change.