Method and system for web-based DCE management

• US 7,000,198 B1
• Filed: 10/26/2000
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cloud Software Group Switzerland GmbH
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cohen, Richard Jay, Shrader, Theodore Jack London
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US09/697,264
• Time in Patent Office: 1,937 Days
• Field of Search: 345/749, 345/748, 345/853, 345854-855, 345734-737, 345/762, 345/760, 345738-739, 345741-743, 707/10, 707/1, 707/104, 707/103, 715/854, 715/749, 715/748, 715/760, 715/738, 715/739, 715734-737, 713/201, 709/217
• US Class Current: 715/854
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A frames-based Web browser is used with existing distributed computing environment (DCE) interfaces to facilitate and simplify management of DCE cells. In the preferred embodiment, administration may be performed from any secure Web browser acting as a client. Management data is typically supported on a target Web server. At the browser, CGI scripts are used to dynamically generate HTML (hypertext markup language) pages based on the network administrator'"'"'s selections and the current state and defined objects in the DCE cell. The result is a robust and efficient Web-based DCE management scheme.

Claims

1. A method of effecting management tasks in a distributed computing environment cell having at least one Web client with a browser connectable to a Web server, the distributed computing environment including a security service, comprising the steps of:

authenticating by a security service in the distributed computing environment based on user input at the Web client, a user of the Web client followed by returning a credential from the security service;

responsive to user actions, displaying a plurality of Web pages in the browser at the Web client from which the authenticated user manages the distributed computing environment cell; and

managing the distributed computing environment cell from the Web browser at the Web client.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein upon authentication of the user, an administration main menu Web page of the sequence of Web pages is displayed.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the administration main menu Web page includes hypertext links associated with management command options.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of managing the distributed computing environment cell is initiated by selecting one of the hypertext links associated with a management command option.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the management command option calls a fast path task Web page from which the authenticated user performs multiple step administrative tasks with a single action.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the management command option calls a server status Web page from which the authenticated user may view server status information.

7. An apparatus for effecting management tasks in a distributed computing environment cell having at least one Web client with a browser connectable to a Web server, the distributed computing environment including a security service, the apparatus comprising:

authenticating means for authenticating by a security service in the distributed computing environment based on user input at the Web client, a user of the Web client followed by returning a credential from the security service;

first displaying means for displaying, responsive to user actions, a plurality of Web pages in the browser at the Web client from which the authenticated user manages the distributed computing environment cell; and

managing means for managing the distributed computing environment cell from the Web browser at the Web client.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the first displaying means further comprises:

second displaying means for displaying, upon authentication of the user, an administration main menu Web page of the plurality of Web pages.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the administration main menu Web page includes hypertext links associated with management command options.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:

initiating means for initiating management of the distributed computing environment cell by selecting one of the hypertext links associated with a management command option.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the management command option calls a fast path task Web page from which the authenticated user performs multiple step administrative tasks with a single action.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the management command option calls a server status Web page from which the authenticated user may view server status information.

13. A computer program product on a computer readable medium for use in a data processing system for effecting management tasks in a distributed computing environment cell having at least one Web client with a browser connectable to a Web server, the distributed computing environment including a security service, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for authenticating by a security service in the distributed computing environment based on user input at the Web client, a user of the Web client followed by returning a credential from the security service;

instructions for displaying, responsive to user actions, a plurality of Web pages in the browser at the Web client from which the authenticated user manages the distributed computing environment cell; and

instructions for managing the distributed computing environment cell from the Web browser at the Web client.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the instructions for displaying further comprise:

instructions for displaying, upon authentication of the user, an administration main menu Web page of the plurality of Web pages.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the administration main menu Web page includes hypertext links associated with management command options.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising:

initiating means for initiating management of the distributed computing environment cell by selecting one of the hypertext links associated with a management command option.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the management command option calls a fast path task Web page from which the authenticated user performs multiple step administrative tasks with a single action.

18. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the management command option calls a server status Web page from which the authenticated user may view server status information.