Graphical user interface system and method for visually gauging network performance

• US 6,728,219 B1
• Filed: 08/19/2002
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Quebecor World Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Networks Associates Technology, Inc. (McAfee, LLC)
• Inventors: Won, King L., Leong, Pak-Tak Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Jung, Min
• Application Number:
  US10/224,443
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 370/241, 370/245, 370/252, 370/253, 345/733, 345/736, 345/738, 714/46
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0631 using root cause analysis; using analysis of correlation between notifications, alarms or events based on decision criteria, e.g. hierarchy, tree or time analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/18 Protocol analysers

Abstract

A graphical user interface is provided for displaying network analysis including a window including a plurality of gauges selected from the group consisting of a first gauge for indicating a number of packets specified by the network analysis, a second gauge for indicating a network utilization specified by the network analysis, and a third gauge for indicating a number of errors specified by the network analysis.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface for displaying network analysis, comprising:

a window including a plurality of gauges selected from the group consisting of a first gauge for indicating packet information specified by the network analysis, a second gauge for indicating a network utilization specified by the network analysis, and a third gauge for indicating a number of errors specified by the network analysis;

wherein each of the gauges includes a rotating indicator for visually indicating a corresponding parameter associated with the network analysis.

2. A graphical user interface as set forth in claim 1, wherein the gauges are displayed simultaneously.

3. A graphical user interface as set forth in claim 1, and further comprising a selector displayed in the window for selectively displaying the gauges and details associated therewith.

4. A graphical user interface as set forth in claim 1, wherein the gauges include the first gauge for indicating the packet information specified by the network analysis, the second gauge for indicating the network utilization specified by the network analysis, and the third gauge for indicating the number of errors specified by the network analysis.

5. A graphical user interface as set forth in claim 1, wherein the network analysis includes Ethernet network analysis.

6. A graphical user interface as set forth in claim 1, wherein a second window is displayed simultaneously with the window for simultaneously displaying different aspects of the network analysis.

7. A graphical user interface as set forth in claim 6, wherein the second window indicates a distribution specified by the network analysis.

8. A graphical user interface for displaying network analysis, comprising:

a window including a plurality of gauges for indicating different aspects of the network analysis;

wherein the window is displayed simultaneously with at least one other window displaying a different aspect of the network analysis;

wherein each of the gauges includes a rotating indicator for visually indicating a corresponding parameter associated with the network analysis.

9. A graphical user interface for displaying Ethernet network analysis, comprising:

a plurality of tabs including an expert tab, a decode tab, a protocol tab, and a statistics tab;

a first window including a plurality of gauges including a first gauge for indicating packet information specified by the network analysis, a second gauge for indicating a network utilization specified by the network analysis, and a third gauge for indicating a number of errors specified by the network analysis, the first window further including at least one tab for selectively displaying the gauges;

a second window indicating a distribution specified by the network analysis;

wherein the first window and the second window are displayed simultaneously for enhanced Ethernet network analysis;

wherein each of the gauges includes a rotating indicator for visually indicating a corresponding parameter associated with the network analysis.

10. A method for displaying network analysis, comprising:

displaying a first gauge for indicating a first aspect of the network analysis;

displaying a second gauge for indicating a second aspect of the network analysis; and

displaying a third gauge for indicating a third aspect of the network analysis;

wherein each of the gauges includes a rotating indicator for visually indicating a corresponding parameter associated with the network analysis.

11. A method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the gauges are displayed simultaneously.

12. A method as set forth in claim 10, and further comprising displaying at least one tab for selectively displaying the gauges and details associated therewith.

13. A method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the gauges include a first gauge for indicating packet information specified by the network analysis, a second gauge for indicating a network utilization specified by the network analysis, and a third gauge for indicating a number of errors specified by the network analysis.

14. A method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the network analysis includes Ethernet network analysis.

15. A computer program product for displaying network analysis, comprising:

computer code for displaying a first gauge for indicating a first aspect of the network analysis;

computer code for displaying a second gauge for indicating a second aspect of the network analysis; and

computer code for displaying a third gauge for indicating a third aspect of the network analysis;

wherein each of the gauges includes a rotating indicator for visually indicating a corresponding parameter associated with the network analysis.

16. A system for displaying network analysis, comprising:

means for displaying a first gauge for indicating a first aspect of the network analysis;

means for displaying a second gauge for indicating a second aspect of the network analysis; and

means for displaying a third gauge for indicating a third aspect of the network analysis;

wherein each of the gauges includes a rotating indicator for visually indicating a corresponding parameter associated with the network analysis.

17. A method for displaying Ethernet network analysis, comprising:

displaying a first interface;

simultaneously displaying two windows on the first interface including a first window and a second window;

said first window of the first interface including a plurality of gauges including a first gauge for indicating packet information specified by the network analysis, a second gauge for indicating a network utilization specified by the network analysis, and a third gauge for indicating a number of errors specified by the network analysis, the first window further including a pair of tabs for selectively displaying the gauges;

said second window of the first interface including a distribution specified by the network analysis;

displaying an expert tab, a decode tab, and a statistics tab;

in response to the selection of the decode tab, displaying a second interface including the expert tab, the decode tab, and the statistics tab;

simultaneously displaying three panes of the second interface including a first pane, a second pane, and a third pane;

said first pane of the second interface including summary information associated with packets listed in a sequential sequence;

said second pane of the second interface including decode information associated with one of the packets highlighted in the first pane of the second interface;

said third pane of the second interface including hexadecimal formatted bytes of one of the packets highlighted in the first pane of the second interface;

in response to the selection of the statistics tab, displaying a third interface including the expert tab, the decode tab, and the statistics tab;

said third interface including a list of statistics;

in response to the selection of the expert tab, displaying a fourth interface including the expert tab, the decode tab, and the statistics tab; and

simultaneously displaying two panes of the fourth interface including a first pane and a second pane;

said first pane of the fourth interface including a plurality of objects for being selected by a user;

said second pane of the fourth interface including statistics associated with the selected objects;

wherein each of the gauges includes a rotating member for visually indicating a corresponding parameter associated with the network analysis by rotating about a central axis and pointing to peripheral parameter indicia indicating a real-time current value of the corresponding parameter associated with the network analysis.

18. A graphical user interface for displaying network analysis, comprising:

window including a plurality of gauges including a first gauge for indicating packet information specified by the network analysis, and a second gauge for indicating buffer information specified by the network analysis;

wherein each of the gauges includes a rotating indicator for visually indicating a corresponding parameter associated with the network analysis.