Network management system using virtual reality techniques to display and simulate navigation to network components

• US 6,289,380 B1
• Filed: 09/27/1999
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Computer Associates Think Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Battat, Reuven, Vinberg, Anders, Her, Michael, Sundaresh, Chandrasekha, Wang, Sidney
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): CALDWELL, ANDREW T
• Application Number:
  US09/408,213
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220-225, 345/339, 345/356, 345/357, 345/961, 345/965, 345/969
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0686 Additional information in the notification, e.g. enhancement of specific meta-data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/122 of virtualised topologies, e.g. software-defined networks [SDN] or network function virtualisation [NFV]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/16 using machine learning or artificial intelligence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/969 Network layout and operation interface

Abstract

A network management system allows a network administrator to intuitively manage all components of a heterogeneous networked computer system using views of any component or any set of components. These views are generated in a multi-dimensional, virtual reality environment. Navigation tools are provided that allow an operator to travel through the network hierarchy'"'"'s representation in the virtual environment using an automatic flight mode. Automatic flight mode determines a reasonable trajectory to a network component that avoids collisions with intervening objects in the virtual environment. Since the system is capable of managing a world-wide network, views of a network component may be organized by continent, wide area network, city, building, subnet, segment, and computer. A view may also display internal hardware, firmware, and software of any network component. Views of network components may be filtered so only components pertaining to a specific business or other interest are displayed.

Claims

1. An apparatus of interconnected programmed computers comprising:

a visualization workstation computer including processing instructions for;

displaying real-time multi-dimensional views of a plurality of components of a networked computer system;

controlling a relevant component, including identifying and simulating navigation to the relevant component in a virtual-reality environment responsive to navigation tools and further including displaying the status and configuration of the relevant component;

adjusting the operation of the relevant component;

monitoring the relevant component, including displaying an abnormality of the relevant component and providing details of the abnormality in order to facilitate identification, diagnosis and correction of the abnormality by executing manipulation and control routines; and

periodically monitoring an operating status of the relevant component;

an object respository connected to the workstation computer, the object repository being populated with information associated with each of the plurality of components and operative to receive requests and commands from the workstation computer and to send event notifications to the workstation computer;

a management application computer contacted to the object repository to send event notifications to the object repository and to receive requests and commands from the object repository, the management application computer being connected to the workstation computer to send and to receive commands and send notifications; and

a component of a networked computer system, the component including an agent software system, the agent software system including processing instructions for monitoring the operation of the component, the component being in communication with the workstation computer to receive requests and commands from the management application computer and to send event notifications to the management application computer;

the workstation computer, object repository, management application computer and component of the networked computer system operatively coupled to facilitate management of comprehensively integrated heterogeneous systems, and components thereof, from the workstation computer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said monitoring of the relevant component is performed by executing processing instructions of an agent software system associate with the relevant component, and wherein the operation of the agent software system is customizable by the user.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the workstation computer and the object repository are part of a single computer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the management application computer and the object repository are part of a single computer.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the management application computer and the component of the networked computer system are part of a single computer.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the workstation computer, the management application computer, the object repository and the component of the networked system are part of a single computer.

7. An apparatus of interconnected programmed computers comprising:

a visualization workstation computer including processing instructions for;

displaying real-time multi-dimensional views of a plurality of components of a networked computer system;

controlling a relevant component, including identifying and simulating navigation to the relevant component in a virtual-reality environment responsive to navigation tools and further including displaying the status and configuration of the relevant component;

adjusting the operation of the relevant component;

monitoring the relevant component, including displaying an abnormality of the relevant component and providing details of the abnormality in order to facilitate identification, diagnosis and correction of the abnormality by executing manipulation and control routines; and

filtering data associated with the relevant component being monitored according to a preset threshold parameter;

an object respository connected to the workstation computer, the object repository being populated with information associated with each of the plurality of components and operative to receive requests and commands from the workstation computer and to send event notifications to the workstation computer;

a management application computer contacted to the object repository to send event notifications to the object repository and to receive requests and commands from the object repository, the management application computer being connected to the workstation computer to send and to receive commands and send notifications; and

a component of a networked computer system, the component including an agent software system, the agent software system including processing instructions for monitoring the operation of the component, the component being in communication with the workstation computer to receive requests and commands from the management application computer and to send event notifications to the management application computer;

the workstation computer, object repository, management application computer and component of the networked computer system operatively coupled to facilitate management of comprehensively integrated heterogeneous systems, and components thereof, from the workstation computer.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the workstation computer and the object repository are part of a single computer.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the management application computer and the object repository are part of a single computer.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the management application computer and the component of the networked computer system are part of a single computer.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the workstation computer, the management application computer, the object repository and the component of the networked system are part of a single computer.

12. An apparatus of interconnected programmed computers comprising:

a visualization workstation computer including processing instructions for;

displaying real-time multi-dimensional views of a plurality of components of a networked computer system employing color coded alerting to identify a component experiencing an abnormality;

controlling a relevant component, including identifying and simulating navigation to the relevant component in a virtual-reality environment responsive to navigation tools and further including displaying the status and configuration of the relevant component;

adjusting the operation of the relevant component; and

monitoring the relevant component, including displaying an abnormality of the relevant component and providing details of the abnormality in order to facilitate identification, diagnosis and correction of the abnormality by executing manipulation and control routines;

an object respository connected to the workstation computer, the object repository being populated with information associated with each of the plurality of components and operative to receive requests and commands from the workstation computer and to send event notifications to the workstation computer;

a management application computer contacted to the object repository to send event notifications to the object repository and to receive requests and commands from the object repository, the management application computer being connected to the workstation computer to send and to receive commands and send notifications; and

a component of a networked computer system, the component including an agent software system, the agent software system including processing instructions for monitoring the operation of the component, the component being in communication with the workstation computer to receive requests and commands from the management application computer and to send event notifications to the management application computer;

the workstation computer, object repository, management application computer and component of the networked computer system operatively coupled to facilitate management of comprehensively integrated heterogeneous systems, and components thereof, from the workstation computer.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the workstation computer and the object repository are part of a single computer.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the management application computer and the object repository are part of a single computer.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the management application computer and the component of the networked computer system are part of a single computer.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the workstation computer, the management application computer, the object repository and the component of the networked system are part of a single computer.