Network managing method, medium and system

• US 20010042118A1
• Filed: 05/31/2001
• Published: 11/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keizo Mizuguchi, Satoru Tezuka, Satoshi Miyazaki, Shigeru Miyake, Shingo Utsuki, Shotaro Tamayama, Takashi Yoshimaru, Yoshihiro Kamata
• Original Assignee: Keizo Mizuguchi, Satoru Tezuka, Satoshi Miyazaki, Shigeru Miyake, Shingo Utsuki, Shotaro Tamayama, Takashi Yoshimaru, Yoshihiro Kamata
• Inventors: Utsuki, Shingo, Tamayama, Shotaro, Miyake, Shigeru, Miyazaki, Satoshi, Yoshimaru, Takashi, Tezuka, Satoru, Kamata, Yoshihiro, Mizuguchi, Keizo
• Granted Patent: US 6,732,170 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

For realizing a system for uniformly operating and managing a network system capable of managing a plurality of types of logical networks for one network entity composed of a plurality of objects, information on network topologies is collected from each of the plurality of objects. Display data is created for each of a plurality of types of logical network topologies for each object in accordance with the collected information on network topologies. A control is conducted in accordance with the created display data so as to display a physical connection relationship, a logical connection relationship, and a virtual connection relationship on a virtual screen. Also, for providing a database display method capable of displaying information contained in a database in a state suitable to display characteristics of the data, data in the database is two-dimensionally displayed in a two-dimensional display area, and all or a portion of the two-dimensionally displayed data is three-dimensionally displayed in a three-dimensional display area. A projection view of the three-dimensional display is also displayed in a projection view display area. The user can manipulate any of the displays in the respective display areas, and the manipulation is reflected to the remaining displays.

Claims

1. A network managing system for managing a plurality of logical networks corresponding to a network including a plurality of objects, comprising:

a collecting device for collecting information on objects connected adjacent to respective objects, from said plurality of objects included said network, for creating in a database information on topologies of said plurality of objects included in said network and mutually connected to each other; and

a display device for displaying on a display said logical networks corresponding to said network including said plurality of objects together with said network including said mutually connected objects.

2. A network managing system according to

claim 1

, further comprising:

a storage for storing said information on topologies of said plurality of objects as pointer-connected link information and object attribute information;

an input device for accepting a request for changing a connection relationship for an object in said plurality of logical networks; and

a changing device responsive to said request for referencing said storage for changing said connection relationship,

said display device displaying said plurality of logical networks including said object having the changed connection relationship.

3. A network managing system according to

claim 2

, further comprising:

a setting device for setting a connection relationship for transmitting a signal of said object having a changed connection relationship.

4. A network managing system according to

claim 2

, wherein:

said display device three-dimensionally displays each of said plurality of objects connected to said network and said plurality of objects connected to said logical networks.

5. A network managing system according to

claim 1

, wherein:

said display device displays a portion of said plurality of objects connected to said network through solid images dynamically created by moving a viewpoint for a plurality of objects on a computer.

16. A storage medium according to

claim 1

, further comprising:

a coded accepting section of a step for accepting an instruction for changing said plurality of types of logical network topologies;

wherein said coded creating section includes a coded section of a step for changing, in response to said instruction for changing accepted by said accepting means, display data of each of said plurality of types of logical network topologies for each object in terms of linkage between networks; and

said coded another display section includes a section of a step for displaying each of said plurality of types of logical network topologies after the change, in accordance with the display data changed by said coded creating section.

6. A network operation/management system in a network system capable of managing a plurality of types of logical networks for a network entity composed of a plurality of objects, comprising:

display means for simultaneously displaying a plurality of types of logical network topologies on a screen;

collecting means for collecting information on network topologies from each of said plurality of objects;

creating means for creating display data for displaying on said display means, each of said plurality of types of logical network topologies for each object in accordance with said information on network topologies collected by said collecting means; and

display control means for controlling to display on said display means each of said plurality of types of logical network topologies based on said display data created by said creating means.

7. A network operation/management system according to

claim 6

, further comprising:

accepting means for accepting an instruction for changing said plurality of types of logical network topologies;

wherein said creating means, in response to said instruction for changing accepted by said accepting means, changes display data of each of said plurality of types of logical network topologies for each object in terms of linkage between networks; and

said display means displays each of said plurality of types of logical network topologies after the change, in accordance with the display data changed by said creating means.

8. A network operation/management system according to

claim 7

, further comprising setting means for creating information on network topologies for a changed object from the display data changed by said creating means, and for setting said created information on network topologies corresponding to said changed object in said changed object.

9. A network operation/management system according to

claim 6

, further comprising acquiring means for acquiring a directory structure in said network system from a directory database management server for holding a directory structure for managing users of the network in said network system,

wherein said display means further displays said directory structure acquired by said acquiring means.

10. A network operation/management system according to

claim 7

, wherein said accepting means accepts a change in said network topology on the network topology displayed on a display screen of said display means.

11. A network operation/management system according to

claim 6

, wherein said display means displays the same objects in said plurality of types of logical network topologies in association with each other.

12. A network operation/management system according to

claim 6

, wherein said display means three-dimensionally displays each of said plurality of types of logical network topologies.

13. A network operation/management system according to

claim 6

, further comprising a management console for a user to operate on a screen, said display means and said display control means being disposed in said management console.

14. A network operation/management system according to

claim 6

, further comprising a manager for inputting information representative of a relationship between display data and set information into a database, said collecting means and said creating means being disposed in said manager.

15. A storage medium storing a plurality of program coded sections readable by a computer for implementing in said computer a function of controlling displays of a network operation/management system, comprising:

a coded display section of a step for simultaneously displaying a plurality of types of logical network topologies on a screen;

a coded collecting section of a step for collecting information on network topologies from each of said plurality of objects;

a coded creating section of a step for creating display data for displaying on said display means, each of said plurality of types of logical network topologies for each object in accordance with said information on network topologies collected by said collecting means; and

another coded display control section of a step for controlling to display on said display means each of said plurality of types of logical network topologies based on said display data created by said creating means.

17. A network operation/management system for use in a network system capable of managing a plurality of types of logical networks for one network entity composed of a plurality of objects, comprising:

a management console; and

a manager;

said manager including collecting means for collecting information on network topologies from each of said plurality of objects, creating means for creating display data for displaying each of said plurality of types of logical network topologies for each object on a virtual screen in accordance with said information on network topologies collected by said collecting means, and storage means for storing a program for controlling to display each of said plurality of types of logical network topologies on said virtual screen in accordance with said display data created by said creating means; and

said management console including display means, and means for downloading said program stored in said manager.

18. A network operation/management system according to

claim 17

, wherein said management console further including accepting means for accepting an instruction for changing said plurality of types of logical network topologies,

wherein said creating means, in response to said instruction for changing accepted by said accepting means, changes display data of each of said plurality of types of logical network topologies for each said object in terms of linkage between networks;

and

said display means displays each of said plurality of types of logical network topologies after the change, in accordance with the display data changed by said creating means.

19. A network operation/management system according to

claim 18

, wherein said manager further comprises setting means for creating information on network topologies for a changed object from the display data changed by said creating means, and for setting said created information on network topologies corresponding to said changed object in said changed object.

20. A network operation/management system according to

claim 19

, further comprising a step for three-dimensionally displaying said plurality of types of logical network topologies on said virtual screen.

21. A network operation/management system according to

claim 17

, further comprising a step for three-dimensionally displaying said plurality of types of logical network topologies in image taken at a plurality of different angles of view.

24. A network operation/management system according to

claim 18

, wherein objects associated with the same entities in each of said first, second, and third displays are displayed in correspondence to each other.

22. A network operation/management method in a network system capable of managing a plurality of types of logical network for one network entity composed of a plurality of objects, comprising the steps of:

collecting information on network topologies from each of said plurality of objects;

creating display data for each of said plurality of types of logical network topologies for each object in accordance with said collected information on network topologies; and

controlling in accordance with said created display data to display each of said plurality of types of logical network topologies on a virtual screen.

23. A network operation/management system in a single network system composed of a plurality of objects and including a display comprising:

a step of controlling to display a first display for displaying symbols indicative of said objects, and a physical connecting relationship in said network by connecting said symbols; and

a second display for displaying symbols indicative of said objects, and a logical connecting relationship in said network by connecting said symbols on a virtual screen of said display; and

a step of controlling to display a third display for displaying symbols indicative of users using said objects on said virtual screen of said display.

25. A network operation/management system according to

claim 23

, further comprising a step for three-dimensionally displaying said first, second, and third displays in images taken at a plurality of different angles.

26. A method of displaying a database having a hierarchical structure of data comprising the steps of:

two-dimensionally displaying data contained in a database; and

three-dimensionally displaying said two-dimensionally displayed data.

27. A database displaying method according to

claim 26

, wherein said three-dimensional display comprises all or a selected portion of the two-dimensionally displayed data.

28. A database displaying method according to

claim 26

, further comprising the steps of:

performing a manipulation for scrolling, closing, and opening of one of said two-dimensionally displayed data and said three-dimensionally displayed data, specifying a range of displayed data for said two-dimensionally displayed data or said three-dimensionally displayed data, or the like; and

when one of said three-dimensional display and said two-dimensional display is changed, changing the other display in accordance with the change in said one display.

29. A database displaying method according to

claim 26

, further comprising the step of:

highlighting associated data portions within the three-dimensionally displayed data, said highlighting of the associated data portions being performed only when said associated data portions are selected.

30. A database displaying method according to

claim 26

, further comprising the step of:

highlighting associated data portions within the three-dimensionally displayed data, said highlighting of the associated data portions being continuously performed and stopped when said data associated portions are selected.

31. A database displaying method according to

claim 26

, further comprising the steps of:

selecting a data portion in one of said two-dimensionally displayed data and said three-dimensionally displayed data;

selecting corresponding data portion in the other one of said two-dimensionally displayed data and said three-dimensionally displayed data; and

highlighting said selected data portions.

32. A database displaying method according to

claim 26

, further comprising the steps of:

searching data using association of said data as a key, wherein when the search is conducted using said three-dimensionally displayed data, searched data is also two-dimensionally displayed, and when the search is conducted using said two-dimensionally displayed data, searched data is also three-dimensionally displayed.

33. A database displaying method according to

claim 26

, further comprising the steps of:

displaying a projection view of said three-dimensionally displayed data,

performing a manipulation for changing a displayed range or a display scale on said projection view; and

changing a display range or a display scale of said three-dimensionally display in association with said manipulation for changing.

34. A database displaying method according to

claim 26

, further comprising the step of:

when touching an object corresponding to a data portion in said three-dimensional display with a mouse cursor, treating said object as an object selectable by a mouse click, and displaying a representation of said object different from representations of other objects.

35. A database displaying method according to

claim 26

, further comprising a step of displaying three-dimensionally said two-dimensionally displayed data in an image taken at a plurality of different angles.