User interface for dynamic computing environment using allocateable resources

• US 7,457,944 B1
• Filed: 07/25/2006
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clouding Corporation (Marathon Patent Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Operating Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Nanja, Sekaran
• Primary Examiner(s): Du; Thuan N
• Application Number:
  US11/492,332
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/100, 717168-178, 718104-106, 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5061 Partitioning or combining of resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0889 Techniques to speed-up the configuration process
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

The present invention discloses user interface for creating a dynamic computing environment using allocateable resources. The interface enables the fast, efficient selection and configuration of processing resources for the computing environment. The resources are fully selectable and allocable by a system architect. In a first embodiment, a primary company, Design2Deploy, Inc.® provides the ability for a customer or system architect to design a system by allocating resources and specifying how the resources are to be used. The system architect may create a computing environment from a remotely-accessible user interface such as a web page on the Internet. Thus, the system architect can create, modify and operate the environment from anywhere in the world.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

allocating a processing resource of a plurality of processing resources, said allocating comprising

displaying a list of said processing resources on a display device, wherein

said display device is coupled to a processor configured to effect said allocating, and

each of said processing resources comprises at least one of a hardware component and a software component,

accepting a signal from a user input device, wherein

said signal selects a selected processing resource and indicates a configuration of at least a portion of said selected processing resource, and

said user input device is coupled to said processor,

configuring said selected processing resource in accordance with said indication of said configuration,

specifying a specified type of operating system for use in said computing environment by accepting a first signal from said user input device,

specifying a specified type of processor for use within said computing environment by accepting a second signal from said user input device,

activating said specified type of operating system to execute in said computing environment, and

activating said specified type of processor to execute in said computing environment;

displaying a graphical user interface using said display device; and

creating a computing environment using said graphical user interface, wherein said creating comprises said allocating.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accepting signals from said user input device to indicate a first processor and a second processor for configuration; and

automatically coupling said first processor to said second processor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said automatically coupling said first processor to said second processor is performed via a network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein

if said processing resource comprises said hardware component, said processing resource comprises a processing platform, and

if said processing resource comprises said software component, said processing resource comprises a software module.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

accepting a first signal from said user input device to select a selected processing platform from a plurality of processing platforms;

accepting a second signal from said user input device to select a selected software module from a plurality of software modules; and

automatically installing said selected software module on said processing platform.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said selected software module is one of a server component and a client component.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said configuring further comprises:

if said processing resource is a software component, automatically managing a license for said software component.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein

said graphical user interface allows the visual construction of said computing environment.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

remotely administering said computing environment using said graphical user interface.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying said computing environment, wherein

said specified type of operating system is an executing operating system,

said specified type of processor is an active processor, and

said displaying said computing environment comprises displaying said active processor and displaying said executing operating system.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an active software program for said computing environment in response to a user selection.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

shutting down said computing environment by accepting a shut-down signal from said graphical user interface, said shut-down signal indicating said computing environment is to be shut down.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

specifying another processor to execute in said computing environment;

activating said another processor to execute in said computing environment; and

displaying said computing environment as comprising said another processor.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a plurality of operating system types for selection.

15. An apparatus comprising:

means for allocating a processing resource of a plurality of processing resources, said means for allocating comprising

means for displaying a list of said processing resources on a display device, wherein

said display device is coupled to a processor,

said means for allocating comprises said processor, and

each of said processing resources comprises at least one of a hardware component and a software component,

means for accepting a signal from a user input device, wherein

said signal selects a selected processing resource and indicates a configuration of at least a portion of said selected processing resource, and

said user input device is coupled to said processor,

means for configuring said selected processing resource in accordance with said indication of said configuration,

means for specifying a specified type of operating system for use in said computing environment by accepting a first signal from said user input device,

means for specifying a specified type of processor for use within said computing environment by accepting a second signal from said user input device,

means for activating said specified type of operating system to execute in said computing environment, and

means for activating said specified type of processor to execute in said computing environment;

means for displaying a graphical user interface using said display device; and

means for creating a computing environment using said graphical user interface, wherein

said means for creating comprises said means for allocating.

16. A computer program product comprising:

a first set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to allocate a processing resource of a plurality of processing resources, said first set of instructions comprising

a first subset of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to display a list of said processing resources on a display device, wherein

said computer system comprises said display device, and

each of said processing resources comprises at least one of a hardware component and a software component;

a second subset of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to accept a signal from a user input device, wherein

said signal selects a selected processing resource and indicates a configuration of at least a portion of said selected processing resource, and

said user input device is coupled to said computer system,

a third subset of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to configure said selected processing resource in accordance with said indication of said configuration,

a fourth subset of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to specify a specified type of operating system for use in said computing environment by accepting a first signal from said user input device,

a fifth subset of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to specify a specified type of processor for use within said computing environment by accepting a second signal from said user input device,

a sixth subset of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to activate said specified type of operating system to execute in said computing environment, and

a seventh subset of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to activate said specified type of processor to execute in said computing environment;

a second set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to display a graphical user interface using said display device;

a third set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to create a computing environment using said graphical user interface, wherein

said third set of instructions comprises said first set of instructions; and

computer readable media, wherein said computer program product is encoded in said computer readable media.