Computer operation management system

• US 7,155,498 B1
• Filed: 11/27/2000
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Hirata, Toshiaki, Urano, Akihiro, Fujino, Shuji, Matsumura, Eiji
• Primary Examiner(s): WINDER, PATRICE L
• Application Number:
  US09/721,616
• Time in Patent Office: 2,220 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709223-224, 718/102, 718/104, 718/106
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• 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: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning

Abstract

In a computer system to which a plurality of computers are connected, a managing computer manages operations performed in the respective computers in an integrated manner, or manages the operations in relation to the computers themselves. As a result, problems occurring in the processes can be easily solved, and furthermore a load on a network is reduced. The managing computer manages a series of operations in an integrated manner in which when an operation is executed by each of the plurality of computers, or by the respective computers in combination with each other, the managing computer performs an operation designated when a specific event happens to occur on a computer. The managing computer displays each of the operations executed on the computers by a symbol; displays an execution sequence of the operations by a link with a direction among symbols; and further displays an execution condition of the computer by a color of a symbol. As a consequence, both an operation monitor screen and a computer monitor screen are mutually switched to display the switched monitor screen while setting a relationship between the computers and the operations, and the relationship between the operations and the computers are clearly represented.

Claims

1. A computer operation managing system which includes a managing computer and a plurality of computers to be managed,

wherein each of said plurality of computers to be managed comprises:

a unit which receives operation defining information from said managing computer,

a unit which causes execution of an operation processing including at least one of job execution control, power supply control and printing execution control in accordance with the operation defining information from said receiving unit,

a unit which transmits a result of the execution by said execution causing unit to said managing computer, and

a unit, responsive to an instruction from said managing computer, for collecting management information including load information of said computer to be managed and returning the collected information to said managing computer;

wherein said managing computer comprises;

a management information control portion including a unit which collects the managing information and the execution result transmitted from the managed computer,

a unit, coupled to said collecting unit of the managing computer, for managing operation of the managed computers using the operation defining information transmitted to the managed computers, the collected management information and the execution result, and

an integrated managing screen display unit displaying a state of management by the managing computer on a screen,

wherein said integrated managing screen display unit represents a connection relationship among the managed computers by links among symbols, represents an operation state of a relevant managed computer in the form of a symbol color, represents an execution on the computers in the form of a symbol, represents each of operations executed order of operations by links with directions among symbols, represents an execution state of each operation in the form of a symbol color, represents a connection relationship among the managed computers by links among symbols, and represents an operation state of the relevant computer in the form of a symbol color.

2. A computer operation managing system which includes a managing computer and a plurality of computers to be managed,

wherein each of said plurality of computers to be managed comprises:

a unit which receives operation defining information from said managing computer,

a unit which causes execution of an operation processing including at least one of job execution control, power supply control and printing execution control in accordance with the operation defining information from said receiving unit,

a unit which transmits a result of the execution by said execution causing unit to said managing computer, and

a unit, responsive to an instruction from said managing computer, for collecting management information including load information of said computer to be managed and returning the collected information to said managing computer;

wherein said managing computer comprises;

a management information control portion including a unit which collects the managing information and the execution result transmitted from the managed computer,

a unit, coupled to said unit of said management information control portion of the managing computer, for managing operation of the managed computers using the operation defining information transmitted to the managed computers, the collected management information and the execution result, and

an integrated managing screen display unit displaying a state of management by the managing computer on a screen by displaying computer symbols each indicating one of the managed computers and a connection relationship among the managed computers by links among the symbols,

wherein said integrated managing screen display unit changes the screen to display details of an operation execution state on a relevant managed computer including any of a list of defined jobs, a list of jobs under execution and information of past execution history responsive to designation of a specified managed computer on a display screen, displays a configuration of a set of computers, designates a specified message on a relevant screen from a monitoring screen displaying, by a message, an operation state of an execution result of an operation system or a computer system to display on another screen of the same console, displays a configuration screen of a set of computers including managed computers related with said message or displays an operation configuration screen related with said message, and displays process symbols each of which indicates an extracted operating process and link with directions among said process symbols, indicates retrieved execution order of operating process and color of each process symbol and indicates execution condition based on execution condition information.

3. A computer operation managing system which includes a managing computer and a plurality of computers to be managed,

wherein each of said plurality of computers to be managed comprises:

a unit which receives operation defining information from said managing computer,

a unit which causes execution of an operation processing including at least one job execution control, power supply control and printing execution control in accordance with the operation defining information from said receiving unit,

a unit which transmits result of the execution by said execution causing unit to said managing computer, and

a unit, responsive to an instruction from said managing computer, for collecting management information including load information of said computer to be managed and returning the collected information to said managing computer;

wherein said managing computer comprises;

a management information control portion including a unit which collects the managing information and the execution result transmitted from the managed computer,

a unit, coupled to said collecting unit of said management information control portion of the managing computer, for managing operation of the managed computers using the operation defining information transmitted to the managed computers, the collected management information and the execution result, and

an integrated managing screen display unit displaying a state of management by the managing computer on a screen by displaying computer symbols each indicating one of the managed computers and a connection relationship among the managed computers by links among the symbols,

wherein said integrated managing screen display unit relates to a particular computer with an operation executed on the computers switching a monitoring screen displayed by an operation monitoring unit and a monitoring screen displayed by a computer monitoring unit alternately for display to manifest the relation between the operation and the computer, and displays process symbols each of which indicates an extracted operating process and link with directions among said process symbols, indicates retrieved execution order of operating process and color of each process symbol and indicates execution condition based on execution condition information.

4. A computer operation management system which includes a managing computer and a plurality of computers to be managed,

wherein each of said plurality of computers to be managed comprises:

a receiving unit that receives, from said managing computer via a network, operation defining information including definition of a series of operation processes and order of the operations processes, and specification of at least one of a managed computer to execute at least one of said series of operation processes,

a processor unit that executes at least one of operation processes to be executed in accordance with said specification in the operation defining information received by said receiving unit, and

a transmit unit that transmits execution condition information of operation process to be executed by managed computer,

wherein said managing computer comprises;

a collecting unit that receives said execution condition information of operation process from the managed computer,

a memory unit that stores said operation defining information and execution condition information of operation process correlated to each operation process in an operation defining information,

a control unit of said managing computer that correlates said execution condition information of operation process to either one of said operation defining information which includes the operating process which corresponds to said execution condition information to store said execution condition information in said memory unit, and outputs to an integrated managing screen display if execution condition information is received by collecting unit, and

an integrated managing screen display unit that displays a plurality of computer symbols each of which indicates a managed computer and a connection relationship among the managed computers by links among said symbols,

wherein said control unit, if at least one of said computer symbols is selected, retrieves operation defining information in said memory unit, extracts, from operation defining information, a plurality of operation processes to be executed by at least one of computers indicated by said selected symbol, execution order among said extracted operation processes, retrieves, in said memory unit, execution condition information correlated to each of said extracted operation processes, and outputs to said integrated managing screen display unit the extracted operation processes, and

wherein said integrated managing screen display unit displays process symbols each of which indicates each extracted operation process and link with directions among said process symbols indicating the execution order of the retrieved operation process, and color of each process symbol which indicates an execution condition based on the execution condition information.

5. A computer operation management system according to claim 4, wherein said control unit generates said operation defining information which is identified by an operation defining identification and stores said operation defining information with said operation defining identification,

wherein said collecting unit receives said execution condition information including said operation defining identification, and

wherein said control unit correlates execution condition information and operation defining information if there are the same operation defining identifications between said execution condition information and said operation defining information.

6. A computer operation management system according to claim 5, wherein at least one of said operation processes is related to either power supply control or printing execution control.

7. A computer operation management system according to claim 5, wherein a series of operation processes are defined that both a first operation process and a second operation process may execute after a third operation process has finished to executing.

8. A computer operation management system according to claim 5, wherein a series of operation processes are defined that a first operation process may execute after both a second operation process and a third operation process have finished to executing.

9. A computer operation management system which includes a managing computer and a plurality of computers to be managed,

wherein each of said computers to be managed comprises:

a receiving unit that receives, from said managing computer via a network, operation defining information including definition of a series of operation processes and order of operation processes, and specification of at least one of a managed computer to execute at least one of said series of operation processes,

a processor unit that executes at least one of said operation processes to be executed in accordance with said specification in the operation defining information received by said receiving unit, and

a transmit unit that transmits execution condition information of an operation process to be executed by managed computer, and

wherein said managing computer comprises;

a collecting unit that receives said execution condition information of said operation process from the managed computer,

a memory unit that stores said operation defining information and execution condition information of an operation process corrected to each operation process in an operation defining information, and

a control unit of said managing computer that correlates said execution condition information of operation process to either one of said operation defining information which includes the operation process which corresponds to said execution condition information to store said execution condition information in said memory unit, and outputs to an integrated managing screen display, said operation definition information and said execution condition information and correlation between said operation definition information and said execution condition information;

said integrated managing screen display displays, based on outputted operation definition, both process symbols each of which indicates each operating process and link with directions among said process symbols, indicates said specified execution order of said operation processes, and displays based on the outputted execution condition information, a color of each of said process symbol indicating an execution condition,

wherein said control unit receives a request of displaying computers which are specified operation processes including said displayed operation definition information from said integrated managing screen display, retrieves operation defining information in said memory unit, extracts said managed computers each of which are specified to execute operation defining information, and outputs to said integrated managing screen display unit, extracted computers, and

wherein said integrated managing screen display displays each computer symbol which indicates the managed computer and a connection relationship among the managed computers by links among said computer symbols.

10. A computer operation management system according to claim 9, wherein said control unit generates said operation defining information which is identified by an operation defining identification and stores said operation defining information with said operation defining identification,

wherein said collecting unit receives said execution condition information including said operation defining identification, and

wherein said control unit correlates execution condition information and operation defining information if there are the same operation defining identifications between said execution condition information and said operation defining information.

11. A computer operation management system according to claim 10, wherein at least one of said operation processes is related to either power supply control or printing execution control.

12. A computer operation management system according to claim 10, wherein a series of operation processes are defined that both a first operation process and a second operation process may execute after a third operation process has finished executing.

13. A computer operation management system according to claim 10, wherein a series of operation processes are defined that a first operation process may execute after both a second operation process and a third operation process have finished executing.