Status display tool

• US 7,380,244 B1
• Filed: 05/18/2004
• Issued: 05/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Pallack, Robert J. Jr., Bussiere, Gregory A., Hodges, Rother V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Steelman; Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chow; Chih-Ching
• Application Number:
  US10/847,020
• Time in Patent Office: 1,470 Days
• Field of Search: 717101-167
• US Class Current: 717/172
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• 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 43/0817 by checking functioning

Abstract

In a distributed computing environment utilizing Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA), a software status display tool that provides a graphical representation of the current operational status of all of the data sources in a computer network. The display tool accesses the CORBA Name Server and obtains all available references for object implementations and their CORBA Interface Definition Language (IDL) interface. The references and interfaces map directly to all of the data suppliers and servers and their respective interfaces. The display tool then interfaces with each and every supplier and server as if it were a corresponding client or consumer and based upon the data it is able to obtain it makes a determination of the state of that particular supplier or server. The display tool then logs the results of its determinations and presents a fundamental color-coded system-wide display of its determinations on a video device.

Claims

1. A method for displaying the operational status of a plurality of data sources in a computer network having at least one distributed data source(s) and corresponding data user(s) utilizing a Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) that employs a CORBA name server, comprising the steps of:

building files containing a database of all data sources and system design data;

identifying all of the data sources in the computer network by referencing said database of data sources and system design data, wherein each data source has an interface definition language interface;

enumerating all of the identified data sources in the computer network by referencing said database of data sources and system design data;

generating a data display wherein each identified data source is graphically depicted as an icon on a graphical user interface wherein each icon has an associated color to depict the status of the identified data source, wherein the color green indicates the identified data source is available and is providing data;

implementing a generic data user having an interface definition language interface that corresponds to the interface definition language interface of an identified data source through the use of a Universal Client and Consumer utility for each identified data source;

validating that the identified data sources have corresponding names in the CORBA name server by resolving the name of each identified data source;

displaying a status based on color and a text message that indicates the result of the validating Step, wherein an exception is indicated by displaying the number of the data source in red and the text “

no object reference in the Name Server”

;

establishing a communication link between the generic data user and the corresponding data source through the respective interface definition language interface of the generic data user the corresponding data source;

displaying a status based on color and a text message that indicates the result of the establishing a communication link step, wherein a failure to establish a communication link is indicated by displaying the number of the data source in red and the text “

object not available”

;

determining data availability of the data source;

displaying a status based on color and a text message that indicates the result of the determining data availability step, wherein a lack of available data is indicated by displaying the number of the data source in yellow and the text “

data not available”

;

determining data timing, of the data source by utilizing system design data that has been predetermined and stored in said database of data sources and system design data;

displaying a status based on color and a text message that indicates the result of the determining data timing step, wherein a determination that the data timing is incorrect is indicated by displaying the number of the data source in yellow;

determining data range of data source by utilizing system design data that has been predetermined and stored in said database of data sources and system design data; and

displaying a status based on color and a text message that indicates the result of the determining data range of data source step, wherein inaccurate data is indicated by displaying the number of the data source in yellow.