User interface for managing multiple network resources

• US 20060129940A1
• Filed: 02/03/2006
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Rohwer, Cary, Rajarajan, Vij, Johnston, James, Ganesan, Anandha, Nedungadi, Kishnan, Hayes, Andrew, Hall, Annette B., MacMahon, Mel, Bhatia, Brijesh, Martino, Tom, Hodge, Kevin, Zimnickas, Audrius, Gllagher, Lauren, Kieman, Casey
• Granted Patent: US 7,689,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/738
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/83 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5055 considering software capabilities, i.e. software resources associated or available to the machine
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• 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 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0266 using meta-data, objects or commands for formatting management information, e.g. using eXtensible markup language [XML]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/955 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/966 : Distributed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 : Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 : Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/969 : Network layout and operation interface

Abstract

A method and system for displaying information related to a plurality of resources in a network environment. The system uses web technology to receive and store information related to back-end resources and to provide a framework by which client computer systems can manage the plurality of back-end resources in a uniform manner. In accordance with one method, a request is received to display object information from different network resources. In response, attribute and task information is retrieved from the appropriate different network resources and this information is displayed. A graphical user interface (GUI) displays information related to network resource objects. The GUI includes a console displaying a tool zone and a work zone. A module is displayed in the work zone having an object zone displaying a list of objects and a task zone displaying a list of tasks.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface for displaying information related to network resource objects comprising:

a console displaying at least one tool zone and at least one work zone;

at least one module displayed in the work zone;

an object zone displayed in the module, the object zone displaying a list of two or more objects;

a task zone displayed in the module, the task zone displaying a list of one or more static tasks applicable to each of the two or more objects.

2. A graphical user interface as in claim 1, further comprising a work zone displayed in the module, the work zone displaying information related to one of the network resource objects.

3. A graphical user interface as in claim 1, further comprising a work zone displayed in the module, the work zone displaying information related to two or more of the network resource objects.

4. A graphical user interface as in claim 2, wherein the information related to the one network resource object includes a property sheet.

5. A graphical user interface as in claim 2, wherein the information related to the one network resource object includes a list of property pages.

6. A graphical user interface as in claim 3, wherein the information related to the two or more network resource objects includes property pages associated with each of the two or more network resource objects.

7. A graphical user interface as in claim 2, wherein the at least one module is displayed in a workspace displayed in the console.

8. A graphical user interface as in claim 6, wherein at least two modules are displayed in the work zone.

9. A method of displaying management information related to network resources in a window of a web browser application, each of the network resources having at least one property sheet associated therewith, each property sheet including one or more property pages:

requesting property sheets from two or more of the network resources; and

displaying the retrieved property sheets from each of the two or more resources in the window of the web browser application.

10. A method as in claim 9, wherein the act of displaying the retrieved property sheets comprises displaying a list of the property sheets from the two or more resources.

11. A method as in claim 9, wherein the act of displaying the retrieved property sheets further comprises displaying a list of the property pages included in one of the property sheets from the two or more resources.

12. A method as in claim 10, wherein the act of displaying the retrieved property sheets further comprises displaying one of the property pages included in one of the property sheets from the two or more resources.

13. A method as in claim 10, wherein the act of displaying the retrieved property sheets further comprises displaying a property page from each of the two or more resources.