User interface for managing multiple network resources

• US 7,689,921 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2006
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Rajarajan, Vij, Johnston, James, Gallagher, Lauren, Ganesan, Anandha, Nedungadi, Kishnan, Hayes, Andrew, Hall, Annette B., Kiernan, Casey, MacMahon, Mel, Zimnicks, Audrius, Bhatia, Brijesh, Martino, Tom, Hodge, Kevin, Rohwer, Cary
• Primary Examiner(s): BAUTISTA, XIOMARA L
• Application Number:
  US11/346,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20060129940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 715/700, 715/733, 715/736, 715/738, 715/744, 715/762, 715/764, 715/765, 715/781, 715/786, 715/788, 715/804, 715/805, 715/810, 715/843, 715/853, 715/777, 715/234, 715/243, 715/212, 709/217, 709/223, 709/224, 709/229
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/83 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5055 considering software capabilities, i.e. software resources associated or available to the machine
• 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 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0266 using meta-data, objects or commands for formatting management information, e.g. using eXtensible markup language [XML]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• 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 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/955 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/966 : Distributed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 : Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 : Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/969 : Network layout and operation interface

Abstract

A method and system for displaying information related to a plurality of resources in a network environment. The system uses web technology to receive and store information related to back-end resources and to provide a framework by which client computer systems can manage the plurality of back-end resources in a uniform manner. In accordance with one method, a request is received to display object information from different network resources. In response, attribute and task information is retrieved from the appropriate different network resources and this information is displayed. A graphical user interface (GUI) displays information related to network resource objects. The GUI includes a console displaying a tool zone and a work zone. A module is displayed in the work zone having an object zone displaying a list of objects and a task zone displaying a list of tasks.

Claims

1. A computer system having a graphical user interface for displaying information on a display device in communication with the computer system, wherein the information displayed is related to network resource objects, the graphical user interface comprising:

a management console displayed on the display device that displays at least one tool zone and at least one work zone;

at least one module window displayed in the at least one work zone;

an object pane displayed in the at least one module window, the object pane displaying a list of two or more objects, wherein a selection capability exists for selecting at least one object from the list of two or more objects;

a task pane displayed in the at least one module window, the task pane displaying a list of one or more tasks applicable to each of the two or more objects, wherein the list of one or more tasks depends on a received indication of at least one selected object from the list of two or more objects in the object pane and is displayed in response to the received indication of the at least one selected object from the list of two or more objects, and wherein the one or more tasks is one or more from the group consisting of;

copy, disable, properties, and move;

a work pane displayed in the at least one module window, the work pane displaying additional information or sub-tasks related to the list of one or more tasks, wherein a section of the work pane is populated with a property sheet associated with the selected object from the list of two or more objects, and wherein the property sheet comprises a list of one or more property pages associated with the property sheet, each of the property pages comprising a plurality of controls for editing the at least one property sheet;

a query pane displayed in the at least one module window, the query pane providing an integrated manner in which the network resource objects from multiple resources are accessed; and

wherein the management console allows a user to customize the contents and configuration of the at least one work zone including information displayed in the one or more property pages.

2. A computer system as in claim 1, wherein the at least one work zone displays information related to one of the network resource objects.

3. A computer system as in claim 2, wherein the at least one module is displayed in a workspace displayed in the management console.

4. A computer system as in claim 1, wherein the at least one work zone displays information related to two or more of the network resource objects.

5. A computer system as in claim 4, wherein the information related to the two or more network resource objects includes property pages associated with each of the two or more network resource objects.

6. A computer system as in claim 5, wherein at least two modules are displayed in the at least one work zone.

7. A computer system as in claim 1, wherein the one or more tasks is a compare properties task if at least two or more objects are selected.

8. A computer system as in claim 7, wherein the compare properties task allows two or more property pages to be displayed in the work pane.

9. A method of displaying management information related to multiple network resources in a window of a web browser application, each of the network resources having at least one property sheet associated therewith, each property sheet including one or more property pages, the method comprising the steps of:

searching the multiple network resources through a query pane displayed in the window of the web browser application to retrieve a list of network resource objects and at least one property sheet associated therewith;

displaying the list of network resource objects and the at least one property sheet associated therewith in the window of the web browser application;

receiving an indication of a selection of two or more objects from the list of network resource objects;

displaying a list of one or more property pages associated with the at least one property sheet, wherein a selection capability exists to select a property page from the list of one or more property pages;

receiving an indication of a selection of a first property page from the list of one or more property pages;

in response to receiving an indication of a selection of the first property page, populating a work pane displayed in the window of the web browser application with the selected first property page and displaying the first selected property page for each of the two or more objects in the work pane, wherein the property page for each of the two or more objects comprises a plurality of controls for editing the at least one property sheet; and

adjusting the size and position of the work pane and the size and position of the property sheet and associated property pages to compensate for the selection of the two or more objects, wherein the adjusting is dynamic; and

receiving customization information from a user to customize the contents and configuration of the web browser application including information displayed in the one or more property pages.

10. A method as in claim 9, wherein the act of displaying the retrieved property sheets further comprises displaying a list of tasks associated with the list of network resource objects.

11. A method as in claim 9, wherein the list of one or more property pages comprises a general property page.

12. A method as in claim 9, wherein the adjusting comprises employing at least one alternate display element to show the property sheet and the at least one or more associated property pages.