72 that can be simultaneously used by the subsystem 30 which are generated and allocated by the api 60 the command objects 72 each encapsulate a base class 76 for the me classes 74 the me classes 74 each include specific functionality for an me type the base class 76 includes function calls methods parameters behaviors and other attributes shared by all or at least some of the me classes 74 accordingly each command object 72 includes base functionality that is used by the me classes 74 to access the database 66 or perform functions within the common mib 32 such as communicating with the low level software driver 34 in order to determine or change the state of hardware in the ne 10 as described in more detail below portions of the base class 76 may be overwritten by specific me classes 74 when forming an me command object 78 the me command object 78 forms an interface for accessing me attributes and functions in the database 66 and the low level software driver 34 in this way each me class 74 may select functionality from the base class 76 to be used in accessing the corresponding me the transaction queue 62 stores me command objects 78 generated by the api 60 in conjunction with the subsystems 30 for processing by the common mib 32 in one embodiment the transaction queue 32 is a first in first out fifo.