:rtype: int
         """
         result = 0
-        varname = varname.upper()
+        varname = varname.lower()
         for entry in self.__cnfvars:
             if entry['varname'] == varname:
                 result = max(result, entry['number']+1)
         elif number is None:
             number = self._find_new_number(self.__cnfvars)
 
-        new_var = dict(varname=varname.upper(), data=data,
+        new_var = dict(varname=varname.lower(), data=data,
                        number=number, comment=None, instance=instance)
         if children:
             new_var['children'] = children   # only add if non-empty
             dict_key = 'number'
         else:                      # assume key name
             dict_key = 'varname'
-            item = item.upper()
+            item = item.lower()
 
         # search all entries for matches
         results = [dict_entry for dict_entry in self.__cnfvars
         if name is None:
             name_test = lambda test_val: True
         else:
-            name = name.upper()
+            name = name.lower()
             name_test = lambda test_val: name == test_val['varname']
 
         if value is None:
 
         """ test method :py:meth:`SimpleCnf.get_children` """
         with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
             self.cnf.get_children()
-
         self.assertEqual(len(self.cnf.get(name='user', value='mueller')
                              .get_children()), 16)
+        self.assertEqual(self.cnf.get(name='user'),
+                         self.cnf.get(name='USER'))
+        self.assertEqual(self.cnf.get(name='user', value='mueller'),
+                         self.cnf.get(name='USER', value='mueller'))
         self.assertEqual(len(self.cnf[57].get_children()), 1)
         self.assertEqual(self.cnf[57].get_children().get_value(), '7200')