Visualization for managing multiple IP address management systems

• US 8,725,860 B1
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infoblox Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Infoblox Incorporated
• Inventors: Wang, Wei, Liu, Etienne M., Voltmer, Frederic Andrew, Clark, Thomas S., Frew, Barry Arlen, Zhang, Zhifeng, Woirgard, Sebastien, Visagamani, Kugaprakash
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazaro, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Edward
• Application Number:
  US13/335,666
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 709220-224
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/50 Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5061 Pools of addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

Visualization for managing multiple IP address management systems is provided. In some embodiments, visualization for managing multiple IP address management systems for an IP address management manager system includes communicating with a plurality of IP address management systems to determine IP address management information managed by each of the IP address management systems; and generating a graphical visualization of an IP address space managed by the plurality of IP address management systems based on the IP address management information managed by each of the IP address management systems, in which the graphical visualization of the IP address space managed by the plurality of IP address management systems indicates any gaps or overlaps in the IP address space managed by the plurality of IP address management systems.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor of an IP address management manager system, wherein the processor is configured to;

communicate with a plurality of IP address management systems to determine IP address management information managed by each of the IP address management systems, wherein a first IP address management system is in secure communication with the IP address management manager system, and a second IP address management system in secure communication with the IP address management manager system, and wherein the first IP address management system manages a first subset of an IP address space and the second IP address management system manages a second subset of the IP address space; and

generate a graphical visualization of the IP address space managed by the plurality of IP address management systems based on the IP address management information managed by each of the IP address management systems,

wherein the graphical visualization of the IP address space managed by the plurality of IP address management systems indicates any gaps or overlaps in the IP address space managed by the plurality of IP address management systems; and

wherein in the event that an overlap in the IP address space managed by the plurality of IP address management systems is indicated, the first subset managed by the first IP address management system overlaps with the second subset managed by the second IP address management system; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.

2. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the IP address management manager system is an appliance or a virtual appliance.

3. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate a window displaying IP address management information for a subset of an IP address space indicated as an overlapping IP address space in response to a received input.

4. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate a window displaying IP address management information for a subset of an IP address space indicated as a gap in the IP address space in response to a received input.

5. The system recited in claim 1, wherein graphical visualization of the IP address space is displayed as a grid map.

6. The system recited in claim 1, wherein graphical visualization of the IP address space is displayed as a grid map, wherein the IP address space is displayed as rows that wrap within the grid map.

7. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a selection of a subset of the plurality of IP address management systems; and

generate graphical visualization of an IP address space managed by the selected subset of IP address management systems.

8. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the first IP address management system and the second IP address management system are managed via a single sign on.

9. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the graphical visualization of the IP address space indicates the overlaps different from the gaps.

10. A method for an IP address management manager system, comprising:

communicating with a plurality of IP address management systems to determine IP address management information managed by each of the IP address management systems, wherein a first IP address management system is in secure communication with the IP address management manager system; and

a second IP address management system in secure communication with the IP address management manager system; and

generating a graphical visualization of an IP address space managed by the plurality of IP address management systems based on the IP address management information managed by each of the IP address management systems, wherein the graphical visualization of the IP address space managed by the plurality of IP address management systems indicates any gaps or overlaps in the IP address space managed by the plurality of IP address management systems.

11. The method recited in claim 10, wherein graphical visualization of the IP address space is displayed as a grid map, wherein the IP address space is displayed as rows that wrap within the grid map.

12. The method recited in claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generating a window displaying IP address management information for a subset of an IP address space indicated as an overlapping IP address space in response to a mouse over.

13. The method recited in claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generating a window displaying IP address management information for a subset of an IP address space indicated as a gap in the IP address space in response to a mouse over.

14. The method recited in claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receiving a selection of a subset of the plurality of IP address management systems; and

generating graphical visualization of an IP address space managed by the selected subset of IP address management systems.

15. A computer program product for an IP address management manager system, the computer program product being embodied in a tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

communicating with a plurality of IP address management systems to determine IP address management information managed by each of the IP address management systems, wherein a first IP address management system is in secure communication with the IP address management manager system; and

a second IP address management system in secure communication with the IP address management manager system, and wherein the first IP address management system manages a first subset of an IP address space and the second IP address management system manages a second subset of the IP address space; and

generating a graphical visualization of the IP address space managed by the plurality of IP address management systems based on the IP address management information managed by each of the IP address management systems;

wherein the graphical visualization of the IP address space managed by the plurality of IP address management systems indicates any gaps or overlaps in the IP address space managed by the plurality of IP address management systems; and

wherein in the event that an overlap in the IP address space managed by the plurality of IP address management systems is indicated, the first subset managed by the first IP address management system overlaps with the second subset managed by the second IP address management system.

16. The computer program product recited in claim 15, wherein graphical visualization of the IP address space is displayed as a grid map, wherein the IP address space is displayed as rows that wrap within the grid map.

17. The computer program product recited in claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generating a window displaying IP address management information for a subset of an IP address space indicated as an overlapping IP address space in response to a mouse over.

18. The computer program product recited in claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generating a window displaying IP address management information for a subset of an IP address space indicated as a gap in the IP address space in response to a mouse over.

19. The computer program product recited in claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receiving a selection of a subset of the plurality of IP address management systems; and

generating graphical visualization of an IP address space managed by the selected subset of IP address management systems.

20. A system, comprising:

a processor of an IP address management manager system, wherein the processor is configured to;

communicate with a plurality of IP address management systems to determine system status information for each of the IP address management systems, wherein a first IP address management system is in secure communication with the IP address management manager system, and a second IP address management system in secure communication with the IP address management manager system, and wherein the first IP address management system manages a first subset of an IP address space and the second IP address management system manages a second subset of the IP address space;

generate a graphical visualization of system status information of the plurality of IP address management systems based on the determined system status information for each of the IP address management systems,

wherein the graphical visualization of the system status information of the plurality of IP address management systems is presented in a star or tree visualization display;

wherein the IP address management manager system is capable of generating graphical visualization of the IP address space managed by the plurality of IP address management systems; and

wherein in the event that an overlap in the IP address space managed by the plurality of IP address management systems is indicated, the first subset managed by the first IP address management system overlaps with the second subset managed by the second IP address management system; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.

21. The system recited in claim 20, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate a tile view of the plurality of IP address management systems, wherein the tile view provides a visual status display of the plurality of IP address management systems in a single graphical user interface view.

22. The system recited in claim 20, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate a tile view of the plurality of IP address management systems, wherein the tile view provides a visual status display of the plurality of IP address management systems in a single graphical user interface view, and wherein the tile view further provides a status of each of the plurality of IP address management systems and a status of the IP address management manager system.