diff --git a/internal/pkg/node/constructors.go b/internal/pkg/node/constructors.go
index 612eacbd..d3d3bc1c 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/node/constructors.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/node/constructors.go
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ func (config *NodeYaml) FindAllNodes() ([]NodeInfo, error) {
 		n.SetFrom(node)
 		// only now the netdevs start to exist so that default values can be set
 		for _, netdev := range n.NetDevs {
-			netdev.SetDefFrom(defConfNet)
+			SetDefFrom(defConfNet, netdev)
 		}
 		// backward compatibility
 		n.Ipmi.Ipaddr.Set(node.IpmiIpaddr)
diff --git a/internal/pkg/node/methods.go b/internal/pkg/node/methods.go
index 0d60254f..b92bb361 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/node/methods.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/node/methods.go
@@ -380,11 +380,6 @@ func NewInfo() (nodeInfo NodeInfo) {
 	return nodeInfo
 }
 
-func NewNetDevEntry() (netdev NetDevEntry) {
-	netdev.Tags = make(map[string]*Entry)
-	return
-}
-
 /*
 Get a entry by its name
 */
diff --git a/internal/pkg/node/modifiers.go b/internal/pkg/node/modifiers.go
index 361e2365..455ea514 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/node/modifiers.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/node/modifiers.go
@@ -48,12 +48,19 @@ func (config *NodeYaml) DelNode(nodeID string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+/*
+update the node in the database
+*/
 func (config *NodeYaml) NodeUpdate(node NodeInfo) error {
 	nodeID := node.Id.Get()
-
+	wwlog.Debug("updating node %s: %v", nodeID, node)
 	if _, ok := config.Nodes[nodeID]; !ok {
 		return errors.New("Nodename does not exist: " + nodeID)
 	}
+	// maps may have deleted elements which will not be updated
+	// so we delete the node and call GetRealFrom on an empty NodeConv
+	delete(config.Nodes, nodeID)
+	config.Nodes[nodeID] = new(NodeConf)
 	config.Nodes[nodeID].GetRealFrom(node)
 	return nil
 }
@@ -102,6 +109,10 @@ func (config *NodeYaml) ProfileUpdate(profile NodeInfo) error {
 	if _, ok := config.NodeProfiles[profileID]; !ok {
 		return errors.New("Profile name does not exist: " + profileID)
 	}
+	// maps may have deleted elements which will not be updated
+	// so we delete the profile and call GetRealFrom on an empty NodeConv
+	delete(config.NodeProfiles, profileID)
+	config.NodeProfiles[profileID] = new(NodeConf)
 	config.NodeProfiles[profileID].GetRealFrom(profile)
 	return nil
 }
@@ -133,7 +144,6 @@ func (config *NodeYaml) Persist() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-
 // Dump returns a YAML document representing the nodeDb
 // instance. Passes through any errors generated by yaml.Marshal.
 func (config *NodeYaml) Dump() ([]byte, error) {
diff --git a/internal/pkg/node/transformers.go b/internal/pkg/node/transformers.go
index 66d24328..2dff47ea 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/node/transformers.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/node/transformers.go
@@ -104,17 +104,17 @@ func (node *NodeInfo) SetFrom(n *NodeConf) {
 	setSliceWrap := func(entr *Entry, val []string, nameArg string) {
 		entr.SetSlice(val)
 	}
-	node.setterFrom(n, "", setWrap, setSliceWrap)
+	recursiveSetter(n, node, "", setWrap, setSliceWrap)
 }
 
 /*
 Populates all fields of NodeInfo with SetAlt from the
 values of NodeConf. The string profileName is used to
-destermine from which source/NodeInfo the entry came
+determine from which source/NodeInfo the entry came
 from.
 */
 func (node *NodeInfo) SetAltFrom(n *NodeConf, profileName string) {
-	node.setterFrom(n, profileName, (*Entry).SetAlt, (*Entry).SetAltSlice)
+	recursiveSetter(n, node, profileName, (*Entry).SetAlt, (*Entry).SetAltSlice)
 }
 
 /*
@@ -128,120 +128,95 @@ func (node *NodeInfo) SetDefFrom(n *NodeConf) {
 	setSliceWrap := func(entr *Entry, val []string, nameArg string) {
 		entr.SetDefaultSlice(val)
 	}
-	node.setterFrom(n, "", setWrap, setSliceWrap)
+	recursiveSetter(n, node, "", setWrap, setSliceWrap)
+}
+
+func SetDefFrom(source, target interface{}) {
+	setWrap := func(entr *Entry, val string, nameArg string) {
+		entr.SetDefault(val)
+	}
+	setSliceWrap := func(entr *Entry, val []string, nameArg string) {
+		entr.SetDefaultSlice(val)
+	}
+	recursiveSetter(source, target, "", setWrap, setSliceWrap)
+
 }
 
 /*
 Abstract function which populates a NodeInfo from a NodeConf via
-setter functionns.
+setter functions. Panics if other type than string, []string *ptr is used in NodeConf.
 */
-func (node *NodeInfo) setterFrom(n *NodeConf, nameArg string,
-	setter func(*Entry, string, string),
+func recursiveSetter(source, target interface{}, nameArg string, setter func(*Entry, string, string),
 	setterSlice func(*Entry, []string, string)) {
-	// get the full memory, taking the shortcut and init Ipmi and Kernel directly
-	if node.Kernel == nil {
-		node.Kernel = new(KernelEntry)
-	}
-	if node.Ipmi == nil {
-		node.Ipmi = new(IpmiEntry)
-	}
-	// also n could be nil
-	if n == nil {
-		myn := NewConf()
-		n = &myn
-	}
-	nodeInfoVal := reflect.ValueOf(node)
-	nodeInfoType := reflect.TypeOf(node)
-	nodeConfVal := reflect.ValueOf(n)
-	// now iterate of every field
-	for i := 0; i < nodeInfoType.Elem().NumField(); i++ {
-		valField := nodeConfVal.Elem().FieldByName(nodeInfoType.Elem().Field(i).Name)
-		if valField.IsValid() {
-			// found field with same name for Conf and Info
-			if nodeInfoType.Elem().Field(i).Type == reflect.TypeOf(Entry{}) {
-				if valField.Type().Kind() == reflect.String {
-					setter(nodeInfoVal.Elem().Field(i).Addr().Interface().(*Entry), valField.String(), nameArg)
-				} else if valField.Type() == reflect.TypeOf([]string{}) {
-					setterSlice(nodeInfoVal.Elem().Field(i).Addr().Interface().(*Entry), valField.Interface().([]string), nameArg)
-				}
-			} else if nodeInfoType.Elem().Field(i).Type.Kind() == reflect.Ptr && !valField.IsZero() {
-				nestedInfoType := reflect.TypeOf(nodeInfoVal.Elem().Field(i).Interface())
-				nestedInfoVal := reflect.ValueOf(nodeInfoVal.Elem().Field(i).Interface())
-				nestedConfVal := reflect.ValueOf(valField.Interface())
-				for j := 0; j < nestedInfoType.Elem().NumField(); j++ {
-					nestedVal := nestedConfVal.Elem().FieldByName(nestedInfoType.Elem().Field(j).Name)
-					if nestedVal.IsValid() {
-						if nestedInfoVal.Elem().Field(j).Type() == reflect.TypeOf(Entry{}) {
-							setter(nestedInfoVal.Elem().Field(j).Addr().Interface().(*Entry), nestedVal.String(), nameArg)
-						} else if nestedInfoVal.Elem().Field(j).Type() == reflect.TypeOf(map[string](*Entry){}) {
-							confMap := nestedVal.Interface().(map[string]string)
-							if nestedInfoVal.Elem().Field(j).IsNil() {
-								ptr := nestedInfoVal.Elem().Field(j).Addr().Interface().(*map[string](*Entry))
-								*ptr = make(map[string]*Entry)
-							}
-							tagMap := nestedInfoVal.Elem().Field(j).Interface().(map[string](*Entry))
-							for key, val := range confMap {
-								if entr, ok := tagMap[key]; ok {
-									setter(entr, val, nameArg)
-								} else {
-									entr := new(Entry)
-									tagMap[key] = entr
-									setter(entr, val, nameArg)
+	sourceValue := reflect.ValueOf(source)
+	targetType := reflect.TypeOf(target)
+	targetValue := reflect.ValueOf(target)
+	if targetValue.Elem().Kind() == reflect.Struct && sourceValue.Elem().Kind() == reflect.Struct {
+		for i := 0; i < targetType.Elem().NumField(); i++ {
+			sourceValueMatched := sourceValue.Elem().FieldByName(targetType.Elem().Field(i).Name)
+			if sourceValueMatched.IsValid() {
+				if targetValue.Elem().Field(i).Type() == reflect.TypeOf(Entry{}) {
+					// get the fields which are part of the struct
+					switch sourceValueMatched.Type() {
+					case reflect.TypeOf(""):
+						setter(targetValue.Elem().Field(i).Addr().Interface().(*Entry), sourceValueMatched.String(), nameArg)
+					case reflect.TypeOf([]string{}):
+						setterSlice(targetValue.Elem().Field(i).Addr().Interface().(*Entry), sourceValueMatched.Interface().([]string), nameArg)
+					default:
+						panic(fmt.Errorf("can't convert an Entry to %s", targetValue.Elem().Field(i).Type()))
+					}
+				} else if sourceValueMatched.Kind() == reflect.Ptr {
+					// if we get a pointer, initialize if empty and then have a recursive call
+					if targetValue.Elem().Field(i).IsZero() {
+						targetValue.Elem().Field(i).Set(reflect.New(targetType.Elem().Field(i).Type.Elem()))
+					}
+					recursiveSetter(sourceValueMatched.Interface(), targetValue.Elem().Field(i).Interface(), nameArg, setter, setterSlice)
+				} else if sourceValueMatched.Type().Kind() == reflect.Map {
+					if targetValue.Elem().Field(i).IsZero() {
+						targetValue.Elem().Field(i).Set(reflect.MakeMap(targetType.Elem().Field(i).Type))
+					}
+					// delete a ap element which is only in the target
+					if targetValue.Elem().Field(i).Len() > 0 && targetValue.Elem().Field(i).Len() < 0 {
+						sourceIter := sourceValueMatched.MapRange()
+						targetIter := targetValue.Elem().Field(i).MapRange()
+						for targetIter.Next() {
+							sameKey := false
+							for sourceIter.Next() {
+								if sourceIter.Key() == targetIter.Key() {
+									sameKey = true
 								}
 							}
+							if !sameKey {
+								targetValue.Elem().Field(i).SetMapIndex(targetIter.Key(), reflect.Value{})
+							}
 						}
 					}
-				}
-			} else if nodeInfoType.Elem().Field(i).Type == reflect.TypeOf(map[string](*Entry)(nil)) {
-				confMap := valField.Interface().(map[string]string)
-				for key, val := range confMap {
-					tagMap := nodeInfoVal.Elem().Field(i).Interface().(map[string](*Entry))
-					if nodeInfoVal.Elem().Field(i).IsNil() {
-						tagMap = make(map[string]*Entry)
-					}
-					if entr, ok := tagMap[key]; ok {
-						setter(entr, val, nameArg)
-					} else {
-						entr := new(Entry)
-						tagMap[key] = entr
-						setter(entr, val, nameArg)
-					}
-				}
-			} else if nodeInfoType.Elem().Field(i).Type == reflect.TypeOf(map[string](*NetDevEntry)(nil)) {
-				netValMap := valField.Interface().(map[string](*NetDevs))
-				for netName, netVals := range netValMap {
-					netValsType := reflect.ValueOf(netVals)
-					netMap := nodeInfoVal.Elem().Field(i).Interface().(map[string](*NetDevEntry))
-					if nodeInfoVal.Elem().Field(i).IsNil() {
-						netMap = make(map[string]*NetDevEntry)
-					}
-					if _, ok := netMap[netName]; !ok {
-						var newNet NetDevEntry
-						newNet.Tags = make(map[string]*Entry)
-						netMap[netName] = &newNet
-					}
-					netInfoType := reflect.TypeOf(*netMap[netName])
-					netInfoVal := reflect.ValueOf(netMap[netName])
-					for j := 0; j < netInfoType.NumField(); j++ {
-						netVal := netValsType.Elem().FieldByName(netInfoType.Field(j).Name)
-						if netVal.IsValid() {
-							if netVal.Type().Kind() == reflect.String {
-								setter(netInfoVal.Elem().Field(j).Addr().Interface().((*Entry)), netVal.String(), nameArg)
-							} else if netVal.Type() == reflect.TypeOf(map[string]string{}) {
-								for key, val := range (netVal.Interface()).(map[string]string) {
-									//netTagMap := netInfoVal.Elem().Field(j).Interface().((map[string](*Entry)))
-									if _, ok := netInfoVal.Elem().Field(j).Interface().((map[string](*Entry)))[key]; !ok {
-										netInfoVal.Elem().Field(j).Interface().((map[string](*Entry)))[key] = new(Entry)
-									}
-									setter(netInfoVal.Elem().Field(j).Interface().((map[string](*Entry)))[key], val, nameArg)
-								}
+					sourceIter := sourceValueMatched.MapRange()
+					if sourceValueMatched.Type().Elem() == reflect.TypeOf("") {
+						// go over a simple map with strings
+						for sourceIter.Next() {
+							if !targetValue.Elem().Field(i).MapIndex(sourceIter.Key()).IsValid() {
+								newEntr := new(Entry)
+								setter(newEntr, sourceIter.Value().String(), nameArg)
+								targetValue.Elem().Field(i).SetMapIndex(sourceIter.Key(), reflect.ValueOf(newEntr))
 							}
 						}
+					} else {
+						// now the complicated map which contains pointers to objects
+						for sourceIter.Next() {
+							if !targetValue.Elem().Field(i).MapIndex(sourceIter.Key()).IsValid() {
+								newPtr := reflect.New(targetType.Elem().Field(i).Type.Elem().Elem())
+								targetValue.Elem().Field(i).SetMapIndex(sourceIter.Key(), newPtr)
+							}
+							recursiveSetter(sourceIter.Value().Interface(), targetValue.Elem().Field(i).MapIndex(sourceIter.Key()).Interface(), nameArg, setter, setterSlice)
+
+						}
 					}
 				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
+
 }
 
 /*
@@ -280,78 +255,6 @@ func recursiveFlatten(strct interface{}) {
 	}
 }
 
-/*
-Populates all fields of NetDevEntry with Set from the
-values of NetDevs.
-Actually not used, just for completeness.
-*/
-func (netDev *NetDevEntry) SetFrom(netYaml *NetDevs) {
-	setWrap := func(entr *Entry, val string, nameArg string) {
-		entr.Set(val)
-	}
-	setSliceWrap := func(entr *Entry, val []string, nameArg string) {
-		entr.SetSlice(val)
-	}
-	netDev.setterFrom(netYaml, "", setWrap, setSliceWrap)
-}
-
-/*
-Populates all fields of NetDevEntry with SetAlt from the
-values of NetDevs. The string profileName is used to
-destermine from which source/NodeInfo the entry came
-from.
-Actually not used, just for completeness.
-*/
-func (netDev *NetDevEntry) SetAltFrom(netYaml *NetDevs, profileName string) {
-	netDev.setterFrom(netYaml, profileName, (*Entry).SetAlt, (*Entry).SetAltSlice)
-}
-
-/*
-Populates all fields of NodeInfo with SetDefault from the
-values of NodeConf.
-*/
-func (netDev *NetDevEntry) SetDefFrom(netYaml *NetDevs) {
-	setWrap := func(entr *Entry, val string, nameArg string) {
-		entr.SetDefault(val)
-	}
-	setSliceWrap := func(entr *Entry, val []string, nameArg string) {
-		entr.SetDefaultSlice(val)
-	}
-	netDev.setterFrom(netYaml, "", setWrap, setSliceWrap)
-}
-
-/*
-Abstract function for setting a NetDevEntry from a NetDevs
-*/
-func (netDev *NetDevEntry) setterFrom(netYaml *NetDevs, nameArg string,
-	setter func(*Entry, string, string),
-	setterSlice func(*Entry, []string, string)) {
-	// check if netYaml is empty
-	if netYaml == nil {
-		netYaml = new(NetDevs)
-	}
-	netValues := reflect.ValueOf(netDev)
-	netInfoType := reflect.TypeOf(*netYaml)
-	netInfoVal := reflect.ValueOf(*netYaml)
-	for j := 0; j < netInfoType.NumField(); j++ {
-		netVal := netValues.Elem().FieldByName(netInfoType.Field(j).Name)
-		if netVal.IsValid() {
-			if netInfoVal.Field(j).Type().Kind() == reflect.String {
-				setter(netVal.Addr().Interface().((*Entry)), netInfoVal.Field(j).String(), nameArg)
-			} else if netVal.Type() == reflect.TypeOf(map[string]string{}) {
-				// danger zone following code is not tested
-				for key, val := range (netVal.Interface()).(map[string]string) {
-					//netTagMap := netInfoVal.Elem().Field(j).Interface().((map[string](*Entry)))
-					if _, ok := netInfoVal.Elem().Field(j).Interface().((map[string](*Entry)))[key]; !ok {
-						netInfoVal.Elem().Field(j).Interface().((map[string](*Entry)))[key] = new(Entry)
-					}
-					setter(netInfoVal.Elem().Field(j).Interface().((map[string](*Entry)))[key], val, nameArg)
-				}
-			}
-		}
-	}
-}
-
 /*
 Create a string slice, where every element represents a yaml entry
 */