Method and apparatus for displaying clusters on a computer network

• US 5,802,383 A
• Filed: 06/18/1996
• Issued: 09/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chang, David Yu, Li, Shih-Gong
• Primary Examiner(s): Bowler, Alyssa H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVIS JR, WALTER D
• Application Number:
  US08/666,721
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 395/800, 395/200.01, 395/141, 395/339, 395/348, 395/200.11, 395/356, 395/329
• US Class Current: 345/420
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/328 Computer systems status display G06F11/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• 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: Y10S 715/969 Network layout and operation interface

Abstract

A method and apparatus for monitoring the status of a computer network by displaying polygon-shaped objects (or "icons") to represent groups of devices connected to the network. In a preferred embodiment each device (or "node") on the network is assigned to one of a number of groups (or "clusters"), each cluster is represented as a polygon-shaped object on a computer system display, and the number of sides for each polygon is displayed according to the size of the group represented. The appearance of the sides of each polygon may also help indicate the size of the group. A base value may be varied to partly govern the shape and appearance of the polygon.

Claims

1. A system for displaying a computer network on a system display, wherein network nodes are assigned to one of a plurality of groups of nodes, the system comprising:

a computer system including a processor, a memory and a display coupled to the network;

means for selecting a polygon to represent a respective number of nodes in each of the groups from a plurality of possible polygons, each of the selected polygons having a respective number of sides and each of the sides having a respective appearance, the number of sides and the appearance of sides in each polygon indicating the number of nodes in the group, wherein the appearance of at least one of the sides in at least one of the selected polygons indicates that the side represents more than one node in the respective group;

means for presenting icons of the selected polygons on the display; and

means for presenting lines interconnecting the polygons on the display for representing network topology between the groups.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the selecting means includes means for selecting the number of sides of each polygon and the appearance of the sides of each polygon according to user input.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the selecting means includes means for selecting a base value for each polygon, wherein the number of nodes represented by a side of the polygon depends on the base value.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the base value is selected according to a distribution of the sizes of the groups.

5. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the base value is displayed with the polygon.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the sides of at least one selected polygon each have a different respective appearance, and each different appearance of a side indicates that the side represents a different respective number of nodes.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein at least one side of a selected polygon appears as a dashed line to indicate that the side represents zero nodes.

8. A method for displaying a computer network on a system display, wherein network nodes are assigned to one of a plurality of groups of nodes, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a polygon to represent a respective number of nodes in each of the groups from a plurality of possible polygons, each of the selected polygons having a respective number of sides and each of the sides having a respective appearance, the number of sides and the appearance of sides in each polygon indicating the number of nodes in the group, wherein the appearance of a side in one selected polygon indicates that the side represents a plurality of nodes in the respective group; and

presenting icons of the selected polygons on the display to display the computer network.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the selecting step includes the step of selecting the number of sides of each polygon and the appearance of the sides of each polygon according to user input.

10. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the selecting steps includes the step of selecting a base value for each polygon, wherein the number of nodes represented by a side of the polygon depends on the base value.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the base value is selected according to the size of a largest group and also according to the size of a smallest group.

12. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein each polygon is selected independently of a network topology within the group.

13. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the sides of at least one selected polygon each have a different respective appearance, and each different appearance of a side indicates that the side represents a different respective number of nodes.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein at least one side of a selected polygon appears as a dashed line to indicate that the side represents zero nodes.

15. A computer program product on a computer readable medium for displaying a computer network on a system display, wherein network nodes are assigned to one of a plurality of groups of nodes, each group having a one of a plurality of potential network topologies, the product comprising:

means for selecting a polygon to represent a respective number of nodes in each of the groups from a plurality of possible polygons, each of the selected polygons having a respective number of sides and each of the sides having a respective appearance, the number of sides and the appearance of sides in each polygon indicating the number of nodes in the group, wherein at least one of the sides in at least one of the selected polygons represents more than one node in the respective group wherein the selecting means includes means for selecting the number of sides of each polygon and the appearance of the sides of each polygon according to user input; and

means for presenting icons of the selected polygons on the display.

16. The product as recited in claim 15 further comprising means for presenting lines interconnecting the polygons on the display representing network topology between the groups.

17. The product as recited in claim 15 wherein the selecting means includes means for selecting a base value for each polygon, wherein the number of nodes represented by a side of the polygon depends on the base value.

18. The product as recited in claim 17, wherein the base value is selected according to a distribution of the sizes of the groups.

19. The product as recited in claim 17, wherein the base value is selected according to the size of a largest group and also according to the size of a smallest group.

20. The product as recited in claim 17, wherein the sides of at least one selected polygon each have a different respective appearance, and each different appearance of a side indicates that the side represents a different respective number of nodes.

21. The product as recited in claim 20, wherein at least one side of a selected polygon appears as a dashed line to indicate that the side represents zero nodes.