Apparatus and method for automating the diagramming of virtual local area networks

• US 7,703,018 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2003
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mack, Regina, Ochs, Joshua Edward, Longnecker, Kurtis Paul, Chaudhry, Muhammad Ammar, Schmidt, Walter F.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US10/443,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20040233234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,525 Days
• Field of Search: 715770-773, 715/970, 715/721, 715/765, 715/734, 715/735, 715736-738, 715/741, 715853-855, 715/745, 715/780, 715/826, 715/839, 717/104, 717/103, 707/104, 370/400
• US Class Current: 715/735
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/20 Network management software packages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

The Design Tool of the present invention discloses an apparatus and method for automating the drawing sequence of Microsoft Visio® to produce a diagram of a network solution. The Design Tool reduces device selections to a series of automatically generated instructions that control Microsoft Visio®. The apparatus and method of the Design Tool accomplish this result by causing the TSA to define custom VLANs and to configure custom connectivity groups (VLAN Groups). Using the Design Tool, the TSA (or other user) activates a series of graphical user interfaces providing access to available virtual local area networks, configured virtual local area network groups, available primary devices and available related devices. By providing input to the graphical user interfaces, the TSA defines configured virtual local area networks, configured virtual local area network groups, configured primary devices and configured related devices for the TSA'"'"'s network solution. Responsive to receiving the input, the Design Tool instructs the drawing program to create a diagram of the network solution containing the configured primary devices and the configured related devices. Connectivity for each configured primary device and each configured related device is defined by a virtual local area network group identification created as part of the input.

Claims

1. A computer controlled method, comprising:

accessing, by a computer, a plurality of available virtual local area networks, a plurality of configured virtual local area network groups, a plurality of available primary devices, and a plurality of available related devices;

displaying, by the computer, a plurality of graphical user interfaces to obtain a plurality of user inputs defining a plurality of configured virtual local area networks, a plurality of configured virtual local area network groups, a plurality of configured primary devices and a plurality of configured related devices;

responsive to receiving the plurality of user inputs, creating a plurality of automatically generated instructions, and sending the plurality of automatically generated instructions to a separate and independent drawing program in order to cause the separate and independent drawing program to create and to print a diagram of the plurality of configured primary devices and the plurality of configured related devices wherein a connectivity for each configured primary device and each configured related device is defined by a virtual local area network group identification created as part of the user input; and

wherein the separate and independent drawing program creates and prints the diagram of the network solution in response to the plurality of automatically generated instructions.

2. The computer controlled method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a Select Available VLANs Screen.

3. The computer controlled method of claim 2 further comprising entering a Committed Internet Bandwidth at the Select Available VLANs Screen.

4. The computer controlled method of claim 2 further comprising adding a VLAN at the Select Available VLANs Screen.

5. The computer controlled method of claim 1 further comprising checking placement of a VLAN using a Solution Size window.

6. The computer controlled method of claim 1 further comprising displaying an Add Devices Screen having a Primary devices List, a Shared Related Devices List and a Non-Shared Devices List.

7. The computer controlled method of claim 1 further comprising editing selected devices properties.

8. The computer controlled method of claim 7 wherein the step of editing selected devices properties includes editing a Role property.

9. The computer controlled method of claim 7 wherein the step of editing selected devices properties includes editing a VLAN Group property.

10. The computer controlled method of claim 7 wherein the step of editing selected devices properties includes editing an electrical specification.

11. The computer controlled method of claim 7 wherein the step of editing selected devices properties includes editing a Physical Specification property.

12. The computer controlled method of claim 7 wherein the step of editing selected devices properties includes editing an MSA Specification property.

13. The computer controlled method of claim 7 wherein the step of editing selected devices properties includes editing an ADSM Specification property.

14. The computer controlled method of claim 7 wherein the step of editing selected devices properties includes editing an Interconnect Specification.

15. The computer controlled method of claim 1 further comprising the step of executing a Role Change Process.

16. The computer controlled method of claim 1 further comprising the step of executing an Add Item Process.

17. The computer controlled method of claim 1 further comprising the step of executing a Device Configuration Process.

18. The computer controlled method of claim 1 further comprising the step of executing an Edit Interconnects Process.

19. The computer controlled method of claim 1 further comprising the step of executing a Solution Summary Process.

20. The computer controlled method of claim 1 further comprising the step of executing a Finish Sequence Process.

21. The computer controlled method of claim 1 further comprising the step of executing a Create Output Files Process.

22. The computer controlled method of claim 1 further comprising the step of executing a Save Visio Process.

23. The computer controlled method of claim 1 further comprising sending an export file to a Power Distribution Tool.

24. The computer controlled method of claim 1 further comprising the step of prohibiting the user from creating a drawing if any firewall, load balancer, intrusion detection device or server lacks a VLAN Group assignment.

25. The computer controlled method of claim 1 further comprising the step of prohibiting the user from creating a drawing if no firewalls are configured.

26. The computer controlled method of claim 1 further comprising the step of executing a Checklist Button process.

27. The computer controlled method of claim 1 further comprising the step of executing a Data Validation Process.

28. The computer controlled method of claim 1 further comprising the step of executing a Continued Validation Process.

29. An apparatus for causing a drawing program to generate a diagram of a network solution in response to a plurality of inputs from a user and a plurality of automatically generated instructions that control the drawing program, comprising:

a computer;

a database in the memory of the computer;

a drawing program installed in the memory of the computer;

a design tool program installed in the memory of the computer;

wherein the drawing program is separate and independent of the design tool program;

wherein, responsive to a plurality of user inputs, the design tool program creates a plurality of automatically generated instructions and sends the plurality of automatically generated instructions to the drawing program to cause the separate and independent drawing program to create and print a diagram of a plurality of configured primary devices and a plurality of configured related devices, wherein a connectivity for each configured primary device and each configured related device is defined by a virtual local area network group identification created as part of the user input; and

wherein the separate and independent drawing program creates and prints the diagram of the network solution in response to the plurality of automatically generated instructions.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the database further comprises a plurality of available virtual local limited area networks, a plurality of configured virtual local limited area network groups, a plurality of available primary devices and a plurality of available related devices.

31. The apparatus of claim 29 further comprising a plurality of graphical user interfaces to obtain user input defining a plurality of configured virtual local area networks, a plurality of configured virtual local area network groups, a plurality of configured primary devices and a plurality of configured related devices;

wherein the plurality of graphical user interfaces are displayed by the design tool program.

32. The apparatus of claim 29 further comprising a Select Available VLANs graphical user interface.

33. The apparatus of claim 29 further comprising a means for checking placement of a VLAN.

34. The apparatus of claim 29 further comprising an Add Devices graphical user interface having a Primary devices List display area, a Shared Related Devices List display area and a Non-Shared Devices List display area.

35. The apparatus of claim 29 further comprising a means for editing selected devices properties.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 further comprising a means for editing a Role property.

37. The apparatus of claim 35 further comprising a means for editing a VLAN Group property.

38. The apparatus of claim 35 further comprising a means for editing an electrical specification.

39. The apparatus of claim 35 further comprising a means for editing a Physical Specification property.

40. The apparatus of claim 35 further comprising a means for editing an Interconnect Specification.

41. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the design tool program further comprises a Role Change Program.

42. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the design tool program further comprises an Add Item Program.

43. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the design tool program further comprises a Device Configuration Program.

44. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the design tool program further comprises an Edit Interconnects Program.

45. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the design tool program further comprises a Solution Summary Program.

46. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the design tool program further comprises a Finish Sequence Program.

47. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the design tool program further comprises a Create Output Files Program.

48. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the design tool program further comprises a Save Visio Process.

49. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the design tool program further comprises a means for creating export file for a Power Distribution Tool.

50. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the design tool program further comprises a means for prohibiting the user from creating a drawing if any firewall, load balancer, intrusion detection device or server lacks a VLAN Group assignment.

51. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the design tool program further comprises a means for prohibiting the user from creating a drawing if no firewalls are configured.

52. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the design tool program further comprises a Checklist Button Program.

53. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the design tool program further comprises a Data Validation Program.

54. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the design tool program further comprises a Continued Validation Program.

55. A computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium;

a plurality of instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium, the plurality of instructions adapted to cause a processor of a computer to perform steps comprising;

displaying a plurality of graphical user interfaces;

responsive to the plurality of graphical user interfaces, receiving a plurality of user inputs wherein the plurality of user inputs defines the network solution;

responsive to receiving the plurality of user inputs, automatically generating a second plurality of instructions and sending the second plurality of instructions to a separate and independent drawing program, wherein the second plurality of instructions are adapted to cause the drawing program to create and print a diagram of the network solution; and

wherein a connectivity for each of a plurality of devices in the network solution is defined by a virtual local area network identification assigned to each of the plurality of devices;

wherein the separate and independent drawing program creates and prints the diagram of the network solution in response to the plurality of automatically generated instructions; and

wherein the separate and independent drawing program is MICROSOFT VISIO®

.

56. The computer program product of claim 55 wherein the second plurality of instructions are further configured to cause the drawing program to create a diagram of a plurality of configured primary devices, a plurality of configured related devices, the connectivity of the plurality of configured primary devices, and the connectivity of the plurality of configured related devices.

57. The computer program product of claim 55 wherein the second plurality of instructions are further configured to cause the processor to connect to a database having a plurality of available primary devices and a plurality of available related devices.

58. The computer program product of claim 57 wherein the plurality of available related devices includes a plurality of shared related devices and a plurality of non-shared related devices.

59. The computer program product of claim 55 wherein the plurality of graphical user interfaces are configured to receive user input defining a plurality of configured virtual local area networks, a plurality of configured virtual local area network groups, a plurality of configured primary devices, and a plurality of configured related devices.

60. A method for automating the drawing process for the diagramming of a network solution using a drawing program comprising:

displaying, by a computer, a plurality of graphical user interfaces to obtain a plurality of user inputs defining a plurality of configured virtual local area networks, a plurality of configured virtual local area network groups, a plurality of configured primary devices and a plurality of configured related devices;

selecting a plurality of available virtual local area networks;

configuring a plurality of available virtual local area network groups;

selecting a plurality of available primary devices;

configuring a plurality of selected primary devices by assigning a virtual local area group identification to each of the selected devices; and

automatically generating responsive to receiving the plurality of user inputs, a plurality of instructions adapted to cause a separate and independent MICROSOFT VISO®

drawing program to create and print the network solution wherein each of the plurality of selected primary devices is connected based upon an assigned virtual local area group identification; and

,

wherein the MICROSOFT VISO®

drawing program generates the diagram of the network solution in response to the plurality of instructions.

61. The method of claim 60 wherein instructing the drawing program to create a diagram of the network solution includes instructions to create a diagram of a plurality of configured primary devices, a plurality of configured related devices, the connectivity of the plurality of configured primary devices, and the connectivity of the plurality of configured related devices.

62. The method of claim 60 further comprising configuring a plurality of available related devices.

63. The method of claim 62 wherein the plurality of available related devices includes a plurality of shared related devices and a plurality of non-shared related devices.

64. The method of claim 60 wherein the step of configuring a plurality of configured primary devices further comprises configuring a plurality of configured related devices.