Arrangements for managing processing components using a graphical user interface

• US 8,161,393 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2007
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gillingham, Marlene J., Taylor, Karen A., Zaharias, Steven J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu, Tadeese
• Assistant Examiner(s): ULRICH, NICHOLAS S
• Application Number:
  US11/856,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20090077478A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,673 Days
• Field of Search: 715/734, 715/735, 715/736, 715/705, 715/708, 370/254, 370/255, 370/256
• US Class Current: 715/736
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0883 Semiautomatic configuration, e.g. proposals from system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

In some embodiments a method for managing processing components using a graphical user interface is disclosed. The method can include determining connection data of a processing system automatically by communicating with at least one node of the processing system, displaying the connection data on a graphical user interface, accepting a user selection via selectable buttons on the graphical user interface, where the selectable buttons representing selectable system operations for configuring operations of nodes. Based on the user selection the system can automatically perform system configuring. In some embodiments, the method can detect improper or malfunctioning connections and automatically provide a pop-up window that has a suggested remedy. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a processing system, the processing system comprising a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:

determining connection data of the processing system automatically by communicating with at least one node of the processing system, the determining comprising;

querying, by each node of the plurality of nodes, ports to request unique identifiers of the other nodes of the plurality of nodes;

storing, by each node of the plurality of nodes, the unique identifiers for the other nodes of the plurality of nodes;

determining, by each node of the plurality of nodes, an association of index numbers with the node and each of the other nodes of the plurality of nodes based upon an ordering of the unique identifiers associated with each of the plurality of nodes, to uniquely identify each of the plurality of nodes with the index numbers;

determining, by each node of the plurality of nodes, a unique index number of the index numbers that is associated with the node by the association;

querying, by each node of the plurality of nodes, the other nodes of the plurality of nodes to verify at least a portion of the association; and

receiving, from a port, by each node of the plurality of nodes, the association as determined by another node of the plurality of nodes;

generating graphical representations, on a graphical user interface on a display, of the connection data for nodes comprising ports of the processing system based upon connection data from a descriptor that describes the processing system, that was determined by a node of the processing system, and that was received by the node from another node of the processing system, wherein the descriptor is based on an ordering of unique identifiers associated with the nodes in the processing system;

displaying, on the graphical user interface on the display, identification information in relation to each node of the plurality of nodes to identify each node of the plurality of nodes to the user based upon the connection data;

generating graphical representations, on the graphical user interface on the display, illustrating cabling between the ports of the nodes of the plurality of nodes, wherein the graphical representations of the cabling interconnect the graphical representations of the nodes based upon the connection data;

displaying selectable buttons on the graphical user interface, wherein the selectable buttons represent selectable system configuring options to configure operations of the processing system;

accepting a user selection via the selectable buttons to configure a partition of the processing system via the graphical user interface; and

configuring the partition of the processing system responsive to the user selection.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a node identification number.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying port identification information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a partition identifier of a node.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an indicator of a primary node.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting an improper connection configuration and displaying a suggested action.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising automatically displaying a suggested connection configuration in response to detecting the improper connection configuration.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a malfunctioning communication link and displaying an indication of the malfunctioning communication link.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting commands to at least one board controller in response to accepting a user selection, wherein the user selection comprises selection of a graphical representation of a node associated with the board controller.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the illustrating cabling between the ports of the nodes comprises displaying, in a single graphical representation:

a first and a second node of the plurality of nodes;

a port of the first node;

a port of the second node; and

cabling connected the port of the first node and the port of the second node.

11. A processing system, the processing system comprising a plurality of nodes, each node comprising:

a memory;

a display; and

a processing component coupled with the memory and the display, wherein the processing component is configured to determine connection data of the processing system automatically by communicating with at least one other node of the processing system, the determining comprising;

querying, by the each node, ports to request unique identifiers of the other nodes of the plurality of nodes;

storing, by the each node, the unique identifiers for the other nodes of the plurality of nodes;

determining, by the each node, an association of index numbers with the node and each of the other nodes of the plurality of nodes based upon an ordering of the unique identifiers associated with each of the plurality of nodes, to uniquely identify each of the plurality of nodes with the index numbers;

determining, by the each node, a unique index number of the index numbers that is associated with the node by the association;

querying, by the each node, the other nodes of the plurality of nodes to verify at least a portion of the association; and

receiving, from a port, by the each node, the association as determined by another node of the plurality of nodes, wherein the processing component of at least one node of the plurality of nodes is;

to generate graphical representations, on a graphical user interface on the display of at least one node, of the connection data for nodes comprising ports of the processing system based upon connection data from a descriptor that describes the processing system, that was determined by a node of the plurality of nodes of the processing system, and that was received by the node from another node of the plurality of nodes of the processing system, wherein the descriptor is based on an ordering of unique identifiers associated with the plurality of nodes in the processing system;

to display, on the graphical user interface on the display, identification information in relation to each node of the plurality of nodes to identify each node of the plurality of nodes to the user based upon the connection data;

to generate graphical representations, on the graphical user interface on the display, illustrating cabling between the ports of the nodes of the plurality of nodes, wherein the graphical representations of the cabling interconnect the graphical representations of the plurality of nodes based upon the connection data;

to display selectable buttons on the graphical user interface, wherein the selectable buttons represent selectable system configuring options to configure operations of the processing system;

to accept a user selection via the selectable buttons to configure a partition of the processing system via the graphical user interface; and

to configure the partition of the processing system responsive to the user selection.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a board controller where the processing component is further configured to query the board controller to get interconnect information.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processing component is at least part of a remote terminal.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processing component is further configured to process user input from the graphical user interface, wherein the user input comprises selection of a graphical representation of a node and an operation and processing the user input comprises performing the operation with the node.

15. A computer program product comprising a tangible computer readable medium, wherein the tangible computer readable medium comprises instructions, which when executed on computers comprising a plurality of nodes of a processing system:

cause each computer comprising the plurality of nodes of the processing system to determine connection data of the processing system automatically by communicating with at least one other node of the processing system, the determining comprising;

querying, by the each computer, ports to request unique identifiers of the other nodes of the plurality of nodes;

storing, by the each computer, the unique identifiers for the other nodes of the plurality of nodes;

determining, by the each computer, an association of index numbers with the node and each of the other nodes of the plurality of nodes based upon an ordering of the unique identifiers associated with each of the plurality of nodes, to uniquely identify each of the plurality of nodes with the index numbers;

determining, by the each computer, a unique index number of the index numbers that is associated with the node by the association;

querying, by the each computer, the other nodes of the plurality of nodes to verify at least a portion of the association; and

receiving, from a port, by the each computer, the association as determined by another node of the plurality of nodes; and

cause at least one computer of the computers comprising the plurality of nodes of the processing system to;

generate graphical representations, on a graphical user interface on a display of the at least one computer, of the connection data for nodes comprising ports of the processing system based upon connection data from a descriptor that describes the processing system, that was determined by a node of the plurality of nodes of the processing system, and that was received by the node from another node of the plurality of nodes of the processing system, wherein the descriptor is based on an ordering of unique identifiers associated with the plurality of nodes in the processing system;

display, on the graphical user interface on the display, identification information in relation to each node of the plurality of nodes to identify each node of the plurality of nodes to the user based upon the connection data;

generate graphical representations, on the graphical user interface on the display, illustrating cabling between the ports of the nodes of the plurality of nodes, wherein the graphical representations of the cabling interconnect the graphical representations of the plurality of nodes based upon the connection data;

display selectable buttons on the graphical user interface, wherein the selectable buttons represent selectable system configuring options to configure operations of the processing system;

accept a user selection via the selectable buttons to configure a partition of the processing system via the graphical user interface; and

configure the partition of the processing system responsive to the user selection.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising instructions which when executed on the computer cause the computer to configure a basic input output system in response to user input, wherein the user input comprises selection of a graphical representation of a node and single selection from the graphical user interface of a selectable button representing an operation to configure the basic input output system of the node.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising instructions which when executed on the computer cause the computer to display port identification information.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising instructions which when executed on the computer cause the computer to display a partition identifier.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising instructions which when executed on the computer cause the computer to display a primary node.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising instructions which when executed on the computer cause the computer to detect a malfunctioning communication link and display an indication of the malfunctioning communication link.