System and method for providing a server control interface

• US 7,350,152 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2004
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lee, Juhan, Kiernan, Casey L, Hodge, Kevin A, Snover, Jeffrey P, DeLuca, Steve A, Martin, Sally J, Darcy, Paul B
• Primary Examiner(s): BAUTISTA, XIOMARA L
• Application Number:
  US10/975,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20050060654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,244 Days
• Field of Search: 715/700, 715/733, 715/734, 715/740, 715762-765, 715/771, 715/810, 715/835, 715/846, 715/964, 715/736, 715/769
• US Class Current: 715/763
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A method and system for providing a computing device control interface are provided. A system administrator accesses a graphical user interface and selects a group of actions that are to be executed by a number of computing devices. The actions selected by the system administrator are embodied in a graphical action icon and displayed on the graphical user interface. The system administrator initiates the actions by manipulating the action icon such that it overlaps a computer icon, which embodies one or more computing devices within the network that will execute the selected actions. The computing device icon is also displayed on the user interface. The user interface executes the selected action on the selected computer and then generates an archive file embodying the execution of the selected actions on the selected group of computing devices.

Claims

1. In a computer system having a display screen and a graphical user interface (GUI) selection device, a method for providing instructions to one or more server computing devices to execute a number of identical server control parameters, the method comprising:

obtaining, by the GUI selection device, an identification of a number of identical server control parameters to be executed by one or more server computing devices, wherein the server control parameters do not specify any computing device that will implement the selected control parameter;

generating, by the GUI selection device, a graphical icon corresponding to the number of identical server control parameters;

displaying, by the GUI selection device, the graphical icon corresponding to the number of identical server control parameters on the display screen;

obtaining, by the GUI selection device, a selection of one or more of the server computing devices to execute the number of identical server control parameters;

generating, by the GUI selection device, a graphical icon corresponding to the one or more server computing devices;

displaying, by the GUI selection device, the graphical icon corresponding to the one or more server computing devices on the display screen;

obtaining, by the GUI selection device, a selection of the graphical icon corresponding to the number of identical server control parameters and a selection of the graphical icon corresponding to the one or more server computing devices; and

instructing, by the GUI selection device, the one or more server computing devices to concurrently execute the number of identical server control parameters.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein one of the number of identical server control parameters is setting a global priority for the selected server control parameter.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein one of the number of identical server control parameters is establishing a data collection template for each of the one or more server computing devices.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the number of identical server control parameters include a server control parameter for specifying a time for the data collection template.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising displaying a summary of the number of identical server control parameters obtained by the GUI selection device prior to generating the graphical icon corresponding to the number of identical server control parameters.

6. A computer system having a processor, a memory and an operating environment, the computer system operable for performing the method recited in claim 1.

7. In a computer system having a display screen and a graphical user interface (GUI) selection device, a method for providing instructions to one or more server computing devices to execute a number of identical server control parameters, the method comprising:

obtaining, by the GUI selection device, an identification of a number of identical server control parameters to be executed by one or more server computing devices, wherein the set of control parameters comprises a control parameter relating to a collection of a specific performance monitoring data from the plurality of servers, a control parameter relating to a collection name and collection priority of the monitoring data, a control parameter relating to a specification of a collection time of the monitoring data, and a control parameter relating to a collection of capacity planning data from the plurality of servers, wherein the selected set of control parameters do not define any computing device that will implement the control parameters;

generating, by the GUI selection device, a graphical icon corresponding to the number of identical server control parameters;

displaying, by the GUI selection device, the graphical icon corresponding to the number of identical server control parameters on the display screen;

obtaining, by the GUI selection device, a selection of one or more of the server computing devices to execute the number of identical server control parameters;

generating, by the GUI selection device, a graphical icon corresponding to the one or more server computing devices;

displaying, by the GUI selection device, the graphical icon corresponding to the one or more server computing devices on the display screen;

obtaining, by the GUI selection device, a selection of the graphical icon corresponding to the number of identical server control parameters and a selection of the graphical icon corresponding to the one or more server computing devices; and

instructing, by the GUI selection device, the one or more server computing devices to concurrently execute the number of identical server control parameters.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein one of the number of identical server control parameters is setting a global priority for the selected server control parameter.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein one of the number of identical server control parameters is establishing a data collection template for each of the one or more server computing devices.

10. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising displaying a summary of the number of identical server control parameters obtained by the GUI selection device prior to generating the graphical icon corresponding to the number of identical server control parameters.

11. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising generating an archive file corresponding to associating a selection of the graphical icon corresponding to the number of identical server control parameters and a selection of the graphical icon corresponding to the one or more server computing devices;

and

displaying, by the GUI selection device, the graphical icon corresponding to the number of identical server control parameters and a selection of the graphical icon corresponding to the one or more server computing devices.

12. A computer system having a processor, a memory, and an operating environment, the computer system operable for performing the method recited in claim 7.

13. In a computer system having a display screen and a graphical user interface (GUI) selection device, a method for providing instructions to one or more server computing devices to execute a number of identical server control parameters, the method comprising:

obtaining, by the GUI selection device, an identification of a number of identical server control parameters to be executed by one or more server computing devices, wherein the server control parameters does not specify any computing device that will implement the selected control parameter;

generating, by the GUI selection device, a graphical icon corresponding to the number of identical server control parameters;

displaying, by the GUI selection device, the graphical icon corresponding to the number of identical server control parameters on the display screen;

obtaining, by the GUI selection device, a selection of one or more of the server computing devices to execute the number of identical server control parameters;

generating, by time GUI selection device, a graphical icon corresponding to the one or more server computing devices;

displaying, by the GUI selection device, the graphical icon corresponding to the one or more server computing devices on the display screen;

obtaining, by the GUI selection device, a selection of the graphical icon corresponding to the number of identical server control parameters and a selection of the graphical icon corresponding to the one or more server computing devices; and

instructing, by the GUI selection device, the one or more server computing devices to concurrently execute the number of identical server control parameters;

generating an archive file corresponding to associating a selection of the graphical icon corresponding to the number of identical server control parameters and a selection of the graphical icon corresponding to the one or more server computing devices; and

displaying, by the GUI selection device, the graphical icon corresponding to the number of identical server control parameters and a selection of the graphical icon corresponding to the one or more sewer computing devices.