Appparatus and method for automating the diagramming of virtual local area networks
First Claim
1. A computer controlled method of instructing a drawing program to generate a diagram comprising:
- accessing a plurality of available virtual local area networks, a plurality of configured virtual local area network groups, a plurality of available primary devices, a plurality of available related devices;
displaying a plurality of graphical user interfaces to obtain user input defining a plurality of configured virtual local area networks, a plurality of configured virtual local area network groups, a plurality of configured primary devices and a plurality of configured related devices;
responsive to receiving the user input, instructing the drawing program to create a diagram of the plurality of configured primary devices and the plurality of configured related devices wherein a connectivity for each configured primary device and each configured related device is defined by a virtual local area network group identification created as part of the user input.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The Design Tool of the present invention discloses an apparatus and method for automating the drawing sequence of Microsoft Visio® to produce a diagram of a network solution. The Design Tool reduces device selections to a series of automatically generated instructions that control Microsoft Visio®. The apparatus and method of the Design Tool accomplish this result by causing the TSA to define custom VLANs and to configure custom connectivity groups (VLAN Groups). Using the Design Tool, the TSA (or other user) activates a series of graphical user interfaces providing access to available virtual local area networks, configured virtual local area network groups, available primary devices and available related devices. By providing input to the graphical user interfaces, the TSA defines configured virtual local area networks, configured virtual local area network groups, configured primary devices and configured related devices for the TSA'"'"'s network solution. Responsive to receiving the input, the Design Tool instructs the drawing program to create a diagram of the network solution containing the configured primary devices and the configured related devices. Connectivity for each configured primary device and each configured related device is defined by a virtual local area network group identification created as part of the input.
112 Citations
64 Claims
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1. A computer controlled method of instructing a drawing program to generate a diagram comprising:
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accessing a plurality of available virtual local area networks, a plurality of configured virtual local area network groups, a plurality of available primary devices, a plurality of available related devices;
displaying a plurality of graphical user interfaces to obtain user input defining a plurality of configured virtual local area networks, a plurality of configured virtual local area network groups, a plurality of configured primary devices and a plurality of configured related devices;
responsive to receiving the user input, instructing the drawing program to create a diagram of the plurality of configured primary devices and the plurality of configured related devices wherein a connectivity for each configured primary device and each configured related device is defined by a virtual local area network group identification created as part of the user input. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An apparatus for creating a diagram of a network solution comprising:
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a computer;
a database in the memory of the computer;
a drawing program installed in the memory of the computer;
a design tool program installed in the memory of the computer;
wherein, responsive to a plurality of user inputs the design tool program instructs the drawing program to create a diagram of a plurality of configured primary devices and a plurality of configured related devices wherein a connectivity for each configured primary device and each configured related device is defined by a virtual local area network group identification created as part of the user input. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A computer readable medium storing a plurality of computer executable instructions, the plurality of computer executable instructions at least partially defining a method for generating a diagram of a network solution, the method comprising:
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displaying a plurality of graphical user interfaces;
responsive to the plurality of graphical user interfaces, receiving a plurality of user inputs wherein the plurality of user inputs defines a network solution;
responsive to receiving the plurality of user inputs, instructing a drawing program to create a diagram of the network solution; and
wherein a connectivity for each of a plurality of devices in the network solution is defined by a virtual local area network identification assigned to each of the plurality of devices. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A method for automating the drawing process for the diagramming of a network solution comprising:
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selecting a plurality of available virtual local area networks;
configuring a plurality of available virtual local area network groups;
selecting a plurality of available primary devices;
configuring a plurality of selected primary devices by assigning a virtual local area group identification to each of the selected devices; and
instructing a drawing program to diagram the network solution wherein each of the plurality of selected primary devices is connected based upon an assigned virtual local area group identification. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64)
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Specification