1. A method of replicating IP address assignment changes in a distributed database having a plurality of nodes, comprising: receiving a semantic command at a first node having a first local version of the database, wherein the semantic command comprises a semantically expressed request to modify one or more IP address assignments in the database that allows for provisional modification of the first local version of the database before sending the semantic command to a master node having a master version of the database, and wherein the semantic command is defined by one or more instructions or operations; interpreting the semantic command; provisionally applying the semantic command to the first local version of the database before sending the semantic command to the master node; sending the semantic command to the master node to reconcile the semantic command with the master version of the database based on any IP address assignment changes associated with the semantic command; and reconciling the semantic command with the master version of the database, wherein reconciling the semantic command with the master version of the database includes determining whether the semantic command includes any IP address assignment changes that would result in an IP address assignment conflict with IP address assignment data stored in the master version of the database on the master node.
1. A method of replicating IP address assignment changes in a distributed database having a plurality of nodes, comprising: receiving a semantic command at a first node having a first local version of the database, wherein the semantic command comprises a semantically expressed request to modify one or more IP address assignments in the database that allows for provisional modification of the first local version of the database before sending the semantic command to a master node having a master version of the database, and wherein the semantic command is defined by one or more instructions or operations; interpreting the semantic command; provisionally applying the semantic command to the first local version of the database before sending the semantic command to the master node; sending the semantic command to the master node to reconcile the semantic command with the master version of the database based on any IP address assignment changes associated with the semantic command; and reconciling the semantic command with the master version of the database, wherein reconciling the semantic command with the master version of the database includes determining whether the semantic command includes any IP address assignment changes that would result in an IP address assignment conflict with IP address assignment data stored in the master version of the database on the master node. 3. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the semantic command is described in XML.