When an operator is going to configure a VLC or M&C first it is important to understand, that with the sat-nms software each serial interface is bound to a communication protocol. The communication protocol used for a certain device is not unchangeably linked to the device driver. This is to support multiple devices being controlled via a single interface. Devices using a common 'multi drop' capable protocol may be connected to the VLC / M&C with a RS485 bus. This way one can for example operate a ND-SatCom upconverter and a CPI TWTA with a single RS485 interface. Both device types use the same communication protocol, they may share the same RS485 bus.
Once an interface (serial port) has been included into the setup and got a communication protocol assigned to it, within the setup devices can be attached to this interface. With the device definition, the device gets a name and a device driver assigned to it. The device's name acts as an address within the software where to send at commands (equipment settings) to, the device driver tells the software how to treat the device at a low communication level.