Effective Visualization of an Information Technology Environment Through Social Scoring

• US 20130204992A1
• Filed: 02/06/2012
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Computer Associates Think Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kiris, Esin, Velez-Rojas, Maria, Mankovskii, Serge
• Granted Patent: US 8,868,712 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• 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 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a method may include providing a representation of each of a plurality of nodes of an information technology (IT) environment to a plurality of administrators responsible for maintaining the IT environment. A plurality of scores for each of two or more of the plurality of nodes may be received. Each score may provide an assessment of a respective node of the plurality of nodes. One or more display characteristics may be determined for each node for which one or more scores was received. The display characteristics may comprise a size of a respective node that is based on the scores received for the respective node. The display characteristics may be provided to at least one administrator of the plurality of administrators responsible for maintaining the IT environment.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a representation of each of a plurality of nodes of an information technology (IT) environment to a plurality of administrators responsible for maintaining the IT environment;

receiving, from the plurality of administrators responsible for maintaining the IT environment, a plurality of scores for each of two or more of the plurality of nodes, each score providing an assessment of a respective node of the plurality of nodes;

determining, by a first computing system, one or more display characteristics for each node for which one or more scores was received, the one or more display characteristics of a respective node comprising a size of the respective node that is based on at least the scores received for the respective node; and

providing, to at least one administrator of the plurality of administrators responsible for maintaining the IT environment, the one or more display characteristics determined for each node for which one or more scores was received.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more display characteristics determined for a respective node of the plurality of nodes further comprise an administrator profile of each administrator of the plurality of administrators that provided a score for the respective node, each administrator profile comprising an indication of the respective administrator'"'"'s name and one or more responsibilities of the administrator within the IT environment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more display characteristics determined for a respective node of the plurality of nodes further comprise a plurality of comments about the respective node, the comments written by one or more of the administrators that provided a score for the respective node.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more display characteristics determined for a respective node of the plurality of nodes are further based on at least one score received for one or more nodes coupled to the respective node.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the size of a respective node of the plurality of nodes is determined according to an algorithm that weights each score of at least a subset of the scores received for the respective node by the relative importance of the administrator that provides the score.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the size of a respective node of the plurality of nodes is determined according to an algorithm that weights each score of at least a subset of the scores received for the respective node by the amount of time that has passed since the score was received.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more display characteristics determined for a respective node of the plurality of nodes further comprise a shape that is based on at least a subset of the scores received for the respective node.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more display characteristics determined for a respective node of the plurality of nodes further comprise a color that is based on at least a subset of the scores received for the respective node.

9. One or more tangible non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-executable code, when executed by a computing device operable to:

provide a representation of each of a plurality of nodes of an information technology (IT) environment to a plurality of administrators responsible for maintaining the IT environment;

receive, from the plurality of administrators responsible for maintaining the IT environment, a plurality of scores for each of two or more of the plurality of nodes, each score providing an assessment of a respective node of the plurality of nodes;

determine one or more display characteristics for each node for which one or more scores was received, the one or more display characteristics of a respective node comprising a size of the respective node that is based on at least the scores received for the respective node; and

provide, to at least one administrator of the plurality of administrators responsible for maintaining the IT environment, the one or more display characteristics determined for each node for which one or more scores was received.

10. The media of claim 9, wherein the one or more display characteristics determined for a respective node of the plurality of nodes further comprise an administrator profile of each administrator of the plurality of administrators that provided a score for the respective node, each administrator profile comprising an indication of the respective administrator'"'"'s name and one or more responsibilities of the administrator within the IT environment.

11. The media of claim 9, wherein the one or more display characteristics determined for a respective node of the plurality of nodes further comprise a plurality of comments about the respective node, the comments written by one or more of the administrators that provided a score for the respective node.

12. The media of claim 9, wherein the one or more display characteristics determined for a respective node of the plurality of nodes are further based on at least one score received for one or more nodes coupled to the respective node.

13. The media of claim 9, wherein the size of a respective node of the plurality of nodes is determined according to an algorithm that weights each score of at least a subset of the scores received for the respective node by the relative importance of the administrator that provides the score.

14. The media of claim 9, wherein the size of a respective node of the plurality of nodes is determined according to an algorithm that weights each score of at least a subset of the scores received for the respective node by the amount of time that has passed since the score was received.

15. The media of claim 9, wherein the one or more display characteristics determined for a respective node of the plurality of nodes further comprise a shape that is based on at least a subset of the scores received for the respective node.

16. The media of claim 9, wherein the one or more display characteristics determined for a respective node of the plurality of nodes further comprise a color that is based on at least a subset of the scores received for the respective node.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a memory; and

one or more processors coupled to the memory and configured to;

provide a representation of each of a plurality of nodes of an information technology (IT) environment to a plurality of administrators responsible for maintaining the IT environment;

receive, from the plurality of administrators responsible for maintaining the IT environment, a plurality of scores for each of two or more of the plurality of nodes, each score providing an assessment of a respective node of the plurality of nodes;

determine one or more display characteristics for each node for which one or more scores was received, the one or more display characteristics of a respective node comprising a size of the respective node that is based on at least the scores received for the respective node; and

provide, to at least one administrator of the plurality of administrators responsible for maintaining the IT environment, the one or more display characteristics determined for each node for which one or more scores was received.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the one or more display characteristics determined for a respective node of the plurality of nodes further comprise an administrator profile of each administrator of the plurality of administrators that provided a score for the respective node, each administrator profile comprising an indication of the respective administrator'"'"'s name and one or more responsibilities of the administrator within the IT environment.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the one or more display characteristics determined for a respective node of the plurality of nodes further comprise a plurality of comments about the respective node, the comments written by one or more of the administrators that provided a score for the respective node.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the one or more display characteristics determined for a respective node of the plurality of nodes are further based on at least one score received for one or more nodes coupled to the respective node.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the size of a respective node of the plurality of nodes is determined according to an algorithm that weights each score of at least a subset of the scores received for the respective node by the relative importance of the administrator that provides the score.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the size of a respective node of the plurality of nodes is determined according to an algorithm that weights each score of at least a subset of the scores received for the respective node by the amount of time that has passed since the score was received.