Network management system using virtual reality techniques to display and simulate navigation to network components

• US 20020013837A1
• Filed: 09/07/2001
• Published: 01/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Battat, Reuven, Vinberg, Anders, Her, Michael, Sundaresh, Chandrasekha, Wang, Sidney
• Granted Patent: US 8,291,324 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0686 Additional information in the notification, e.g. enhancement of specific meta-data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/122 of virtualised topologies, e.g. software-defined networks [SDN] or network function virtualisation [NFV]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/16 using machine learning or artificial intelligence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/969 Network layout and operation interface

Abstract

A network management system allows a network administrator to intuitively manage all components of a heterogeneous networked computer system using views of any component or any set of components. These views are generated in a multi-dimensional, virtual reality environment. Navigation tools are provided that allow an operator to travel through the network hierarchy'"'"'s representation in the virtual environment using an automatic flight mode. Automatic flight mode determines a reasonable trajectory to a network component that avoids collisions with intervening objects in the virtual environment. Since the system is capable of managing a world-wide network, city, building, subnet, segment, and computer, a view may also display internal hardware, firmware, and software of any network component. Views of network components may be filtered so only components pertaining to a specific business or other interest are displayed.

Claims

1. A method for updating a display of at least one component of a networked computer system, comprising:

receiving at a visualization workstation an event notification from an object repository, the event notification being associated with a component of the networked computer system;

determining the appearance of the component based on the event notification; and

rendering the component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the event notification represents an addition of the component to the networked computer system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the event notification represents a deletion of the component from the networked computer system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the event notification represents a change to the structure of the component.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the event notification represents a change to the status of the component.

6. A method for updating a display of at least one component of a networked computer system, comprising:

determining a list of visible objects in a scene;

determining a new position and orientation of each object in the scene;

determining a model for each object in the scene based on the position and orientation of the object; and

rendering each object in the scene.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining whether a complete scene change is required.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining whether an object has been added to the scene.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining whether an object has been deleted from the scene.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining whether an automatic flight mode property has been set.

11. A method for updating a display of at least one component of a networked computer system, comprising:

receiving at a visualization workstation a status-change event notification from an object repository, the status-change event notification being associated with a displayed component of the networked computer system;

determining the appearance of a status indicator of the component based on the status-change event notification;

determining whether the component is to be displayed within a predetermined visualization range; and

setting a hide-status-indicator property if the component is not within the predetermined visualization range.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising rendering the component based on the hide-status-indicator property.