Apparatus, system, and method for monitoring computer system components

• US 20070185987A1
• Filed: 02/06/2006
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dieberger, Andreas, Gopisetty, Sandeep, Kandogan, Eser, Tan, Chung-hao, Pineiro, Roberto, Kieliszewski, Cheryl
• Granted Patent: US 8,849,980 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/328 Computer systems status display G06F11/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for monitoring computer system components in large or complex systems. The apparatus includes an identifier module for associating at least one visual identifier with a computer system component. A function module associates one or more control functions with the visual identifier. A presentation module selectively displays the at least one identifier for the computer system component within a present view of a user interface. A monitoring module monitors the computer system component associated with the at least one identifier and modifies the identifier in response to a change in operational status for the computer system component.

Claims

1. An apparatus to monitor a computer system component, the apparatus comprising:

an identifier module configured to associate at least one visual identifier with a computer system component;

a function module configured to associate one or more control functions with the visual identifier;

a presentation module configured to selectively display the at least one identifier for the computer system component within a present view of a user interface; and

a monitoring module configured to monitor the computer system component associated with the at least one identifier and modify the identifier in response to a change in operational status for the computer system component.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the presentation module is configured to display the visual identifier such that a control function associated with the computer system component and selected by a user can be applied to the computer system component directly from the present view of the user interface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the visual identifier comprises a computer system component status that the presentation module selectively displays in the present view.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the visual identifier comprises a computer system component context that the presentation module selectively displays in the present view.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the presentation module couples the identifier to an icon representing a container of the computer system component associated with the icon.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the presentation module selectively displays a pop-up window containing one or more identifiers.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the presentation module is configured to simultaneously display visual identifiers associated with a plurality of computer system components within a present view, at least one of said plurality of computer system components having a detail view outside the scope of the present view.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a navigation module configured to change the present view to a detail view of a computer system component in response to user selection of the visual identifier associated with the computer system component.

9. A system to monitor a computer system component in a storage area network, the system comprising:

one or more data storage servers in communication over a communication network;

a client in electronic communication with the one or more servers;

Input/Output (I/O) devices coupled to the data communications network and configured to interact with a user;

a processor;

a memory containing modules for execution on the processor, the modules comprising;

an identifier module configured to associate at least one identifier with a computer system component;

a function module configured to associate one or more control functions with each computer system component associated with an identifier; and

a presentation module configured to dynamically and selectively display at least one identifier for each computer system component associated with an identifier, to a present view of a user interface.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the presentation module displays an identifier associated with a computer system component, such that control functions associated with the computer system component can be accessed directly from the present view of the user interface.

11. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer usable program code for monitoring computer system components, said computer program product including;

computer usable program code for associating at least one visual identifier with a computer system component;

computer usable program code for associating one or more control functions with the visual identifier;

computer usable program code for selectively displaying at least one identifier for each computer system component associated with an identifier, to a present view of an user interface, the visual identifier comprising a computer system component status; and

computer usable program code for monitoring the computer system component associated with the at least one identifier and modifying the identifier in response to a change in operational status for the computer system component.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code further comprises an operation to display the identifier such that a control function associated with the computer system component and selected by a user can be applied to the computer system component directly from the present view of the user interface.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code further comprises an operation to selectively display a visual identifier comprising a computer system component context in the present view.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code further comprises an operation to simultaneously display visual identifiers associated with a plurality of computer system components within a present view, at least two of said computer system components having a detail view outside the scope of the present view.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code further comprises an operation to change the present view to a detail view of a computer system component in response to user selection of the visual identifier associated with the computer system component.

16. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code further comprises an operation to couple the identifier to an icon representing a container of the computer system component associated with the icon.

17. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code further comprises an operation to selectively display a pop-up window containing one or more identifiers.

18. A method for monitoring a computer system comprising a plurality of computer system components, the method comprising:

identifying a computer system to monitor;

initiating a user interface;

executing an apparatus to monitor a computer system component through the user interface, the apparatus comprising a plurality of modules configured to;

associate at least one visual identifier with a computer system component;

associate one or more control functions with each computer system component associated with an identifier; and

selectively display at least one identifier for each computer system component associated with an identifier, to a present view of a user interface.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the modules are configured to display the visual identifier such that a control function associated with the computer system component and selected by a user can be applied to the computer system component directly from the present view of the user interface.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the visual identifier comprises a computer system component status that the modules selectively display in the present view.