User interface to display and manage an entity and associated resources

• US 20050081156A1
• Filed: 10/18/2004
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Grant, Justin, Multerer, Boyd C., Schliiter, Kent S., Dillingham, Lara N., Sutton, Alexander M., Sprague, Roger W., Travison, Daniel T., Amiga, Ori M., Clark, Quentin J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,743,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/736
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/328 Computer systems status display G06F11/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3409 for performance assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/88 Monitoring involving counting

Abstract

A user interface to display and manage a plurality of entities as if a single entity is provided. The user interface includes a representation of the collection of entities as a whole, and a representation of members associated with the entity. If an action is performed on the representation of the entities as a whole, then the action is propagated to the collection of entities, if the action is performed on the representation of the member associated with the entity, then the action is directed to the member.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for interfacing and managing a plurality of entities as if a single entity, comprising:

displaying a first set of objects representing a plurality of members which form an entity;

displaying a second set of objects representing configurations for the entity; and

interfacing the entity from the objects as if the entity was a single entity.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying a first set of objects further includes providing an aggregated display of performance of the entity as a whole.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying a first set of objects further includes providing a display of performance of a member.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying a first set of objects further includes providing an aggregated display of events for the entity as a whole.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying a first set of objects further includes providing a display of events for a member.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying a first set of objects further includes providing an aggregated display of status of the entity as a whole.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying a first set of objects further includes providing a display of status of a member.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying a first set of objects further includes providing an aggregated display of applications for the entity as a whole.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying a first set of objects further includes providing a display of applications for a member.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying a second set of objects further includes guiding the user via a sequence of steps to create the entity.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the sequence of acts is provided by a computer-implemented wizard.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

analyzing member configurations;

selecting an entity type; and

selecting load balancing options.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein analyzing member configurations comprises at least one of:

integrated operating system load balancing configuration analysis;

IP address checking;

Network analysis;

Network Interface Card(NIC) checking; and

Software system analysis

14. The method of claim 12 wherein selecting an entity type comprises selecting one of at least web cluster, COM+ application cluster and COM+ routing cluster.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein selecting load balancing options comprises selecting one of at least integrated operating system load balancing and extensible third party load balancing.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein selecting integrated operating system load balancing further comprises selecting client affinity.

17. The method of claim 16 where selecting client affinity comprises selecting one of at least intranet based and internet based.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein selecting load balancing options comprises selecting a network interface card (NIC) to employ for load balancing.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying a second set of objects further includes guiding the user via a sequence of steps to add a member to the entity.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the sequence of acts is provided by a wizard.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

entering an authorized name and credentials for a member;

entering a controller for associating to the member;

analyzing member configurations; and

selecting load balancing options.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein entering credentials for a member further comprises:

entering username;

entering password; and

entering a domain.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein analyzing member configurations comprises at least one of:

network load balancing configuration analysis;

IP address checking; and

Network Interface Card(NIC) checking.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein selecting load balancing options comprises selecting a network interface card (NIC) to employ for load balancing.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying a second set of objects further includes guiding the user via a sequence of acts to deploy content across the entity.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the sequence of acts is provided by a wizard.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

authenticating to a target;

selecting targets in which to deploy information; and

selecting content to deploy to the targets.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein authenticating to a target further comprises:

entering username;

entering password; and

entering a domain.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein selecting content to deploy to targets further comprises selecting at least one of:

deploy folder and file permissions;

deploy COM+ applications; and

deploy global ISAPI filters.

30. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying the objects further comprising arranging the objects to form a topological representation of the entity and members.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising traversing the topological representation to a more or less granular selection.

32. A computer implemented method for interfacing and managing a plurality of entities as if a single entity, comprising:

displaying a first set of objects representing a plurality of members which form an entity;

displaying a second set of objects representing configurations for the entity; and

arranging the objects to form a topological representation of the entity and members; and

interfacing the entity from the objects as if the entity was a single entity.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising traversing the topological representation to a more or less granular selection.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein displaying a first set of objects further includes providing at least three of:

an aggregated display of performance of the entity as a whole;

a display of performance of a member;

an aggregated display of events for the entity as a whole;

a display of events for a member;

an aggregated display of status of the entity as a whole;

a display of status of a member;

an aggregated display of applications for the entity as a whole; and

a display of applications for a member.

35. The method of claim 32 wherein displaying a second set of objects further includes guiding the user via a sequence of acts to:

create the entity, add a member to the entity, and deploy content across the entity.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the sequence of acts is provided by a wizard.

37. A computer implemented method for interfacing and managing a plurality of entities as if a single entity, comprising:

displaying a set of objects representing a plurality of members which form an entity; and

interfacing the entity from the objects as if the entity was a single entity.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein displaying the objects further comprises arranging the objects to form a topological representation of the entity and members.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising traversing the topological representation to a more or less granular selection.

40. The method of claim 37 wherein displaying a set of objects further includes the providing at least three of:

an aggregated display of performance of the entity as a whole;

a display of performance of a member;

an aggregated display of events for the entity as a whole;

a display of events for a member;

an aggregated display of status of the entity as a whole;

a display of status of a member;

an aggregated display of applications for the entity as a whole; and

a display of applications for a member.

41. The method of claim 37 wherein displaying a set of objects further includes guiding the user via a sequence of acts to perform at least one of:

create the entity;

add a member to the entity; and

deploy content across the entity.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the sequence of steps is provided by a wizard.