User interface for network discovery operations

• US 20060120306A1
• Filed: 12/06/2005
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BMC Software Incorporated (KKR & Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BMC Software Incorporated (KKR & Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Bonal, Olivier, Medard, Sebastien
• Granted Patent: US 7,941,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and computer program products to capture discovery task information are described. More specifically, a graphical user interface is described that simplifies the task of defining what types of components (hardware and software), domains and methods are to be used during an IT infrastructure discovery operation. One benefit of using the described user interface is that the user is relieved of the burden of determining what aspects of the discovery action need be defined. Another benefit is that a user may be asked for input for only those elements necessary to the discovery—based on the user'"'"'s prior input. For example, if the only type of component identified for discovery are JAVA® platforms, only those discovery methods (e.g., JMX) related to JAVA® platforms will be proffered to the user during that phase of specifying the discovery operation.

Claims

1. A computer network discovery specification method, comprising:

selecting, through a first graphical interface element, one or more types of computer network components;

selecting, through a second graphical interface element, one or more network domains;

selecting, through a third graphical interface element, one or more discovery methods for each type of computer network component selected through the first graphical interface element; and

storing indications of the user selected computer network components, network domains and discovery methods.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising specifying, though a fourth graphical interface element, zero or more post-discovery actions.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising specifying, through a fifth graphical interface element, a schedule to execute a discovery operation based on the user selected computer network components, network domains and discovery methods.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the act of specifying post-discovery actions comprises specifying a notification be sent to the user on completion of a discovery action based on the user selected computer network components, network domains and discovery methods.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the notification comprises and email notification.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the act of specifying a schedule comprises specifying a start time.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the act of specifying a schedule further comprises specifying a reoccurrence interval.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a fourth graphical interface element through which the user specifies a schedule to execute a discovery operation based on the user selected computer network components, network domains and discovery methods.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the act of specifying a schedule comprises specifying a start time and a reoccurrence interval.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of selecting one or more types of computer network components comprises selecting at least one hardware component or at least one software component.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of selecting one or more network domains comprises selecting a domain from a list of preexisting domains presenting in the second graphical interface element.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of selecting one or more network domains comprises specifying a first and second Internet Protocol addresses through the second graphical interface element.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the act of specifying a first Internet Protocol addresses comprises specifying a host computer name.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the act of specifying a second Internet Protocol addresses comprises specifying a host computer name.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of selecting one or more discovery methods comprises selecting a discovery method from a list of discovery methods presented in the third graphical interface element.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the list of preexisting discovery methods comprise only discovery methods relevant to a selected type of computer network component.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of storing comprises storing indications of the user selected computer network components, network domains and discovery methods in a database.

18. The method of claim 3, wherein the act of storing comprises storing indications of the user selected computer network components, network domains, discovery methods, post-discovery actions and schedule in a database.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting, through a fourth graphical interface element, one or more predefined computer network discovery specifications.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising pre-selecting one or more types of computer network components in the first graphical interface element based on the selected computer network discovery specification in the fourth graphical interface element.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising pre-selecting one or more network domains in the second graphical interface element based on the selected computer network discovery specification in the fourth graphical interface element.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting, through a fourth graphical interface element, a summary of the selected types of computer network components, network domains and discovery methods.

23. A program storage device, readable by a programmable control device, comprising instructions for causing the programmable control device to:

generate a first graphical interface element configured to permit a user to select one or more types of computer network components;

generate a second graphical interface element configured to permit a user to select one or more network domains;

generate a third graphical interface element configured to permit a user to select one or more discovery methods for each type of computer network component selected through the first graphical interface element; and

store indications of the user selected computer network components, network domains and discovery methods.

24. The program storage device of claim 23, wherein the instructions to generate a third graphical interface element comprise instructions to generate a list of discovery methods comprising only discovery methods relevant to a selected type of computer network component.

25. The program storage device of claim 23, further comprising instructions to generate a fourth graphical interface element to display a list of one or more predefined computer network discovery specifications.

26. The program storage device of claim 25, further comprising instructions to pre-select one or more types of computer network elements in the first graphical interface element based on a predefined computer network discovery specification displayed in the fourth graphical interface element.

27. The program storage device of claim 25, further comprising instructions to pre-select one or more network domains in the second graphical interface element based on a predefined computer network discovery specification displayed in the fourth graphical interface element.

28. A computer enterprise, comprising:

a plurality of components communicatively coupled to a network; and

a discovery application executing on a first computer system communicatively coupled to the network, the discovery application having instructions for causing the first computer system to—

generate a first graphical interface element configured to permit a user to select one or more types of computer network components,

generate a second graphical interface element configured to permit a user to select one or more network domains,

generate a third graphical interface element configured to permit a user to select one or more discovery methods for each type of computer network component selected through the first graphical interface element, and

store indications of user selected computer network components, network domains and discovery methods.

29. The computer enterprise of claim 28, wherein the instructions to generate a third graphical interface element comprise instructions to generate a list of discovery methods comprising only discovery methods relevant to a selected type of computer network component.

30. The computer enterprise of claim 28, wherein the discovery application further comprises instructions to generate a fourth graphical interface element to display a list of one or more predefined computer network discovery specifications.

31. The computer enterprise of claim 30, wherein the discovery application further comprises instructions to pre-select one or more types of computer network elements in the first graphical interface element based on a predefined computer network discovery specification displayed in the fourth graphical interface element.

32. The computer enterprise of claim 30, wherein the discovery application further comprises instructions to pre-select one or more network domains in the second graphical interface element based on a predefined computer network discovery specification displayed in the fourth graphical interface element.

33. The computer system of claim 28, wherein the instructions to store comprise instructions to store user selected computer network components, network domains and discovery methods in a database located on a second computer system communicatively coupled to the network.