User interface for dynamic environment using allocateable resources

• US 9,110,725 B1
• Filed: 11/24/2008
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clouding Corporation (Marathon Patent Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Clouding Corporation (Marathon Patent Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nanja, Sekaran
• Primary Examiner(s): DU, THUAN N
• Application Number:
  US12/277,038
• Time in Patent Office: 2,458 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/100, 717168-178, 718104-106, 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 in a computer system comprising:

creating a first computing environment, wherein

the creating comprises

selecting a first processing resource to be added to the first computing environment, wherein

the first processing resource is configured according to a first configuration received from a first source,

the first processing resource comprises a first discrete processor,

the first configuration specifies a first type of processor, and

the first discrete processor is of the first type of processor, and

selecting a second processing resource to be added to the first computing environment, wherein

the second processing resource is physically separate from the first processing resource,

the second processing resource is configured according to the first configuration received from the first source,

the second processing resource comprises a second discrete processor,

the first configuration specifies a second type of processor, and

the second discrete processor is of the second type of processor;

providing the first computing environment for a first time period, wherein

the first computing environment provides the first discrete processor and the second discrete processor as specified by the first configuration;

creating a second computing environment, wherein

the second computing environment comprises the first processing resource configured according to a second configuration,

the second configuration specifies the first type of processor, and

the second configuration represents a configuration received from a second source; and

providing the second computing environment for a second time period, wherein

the first time period and the second time period are mutually exclusive.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

the first processing resource comprises a processing platform,

the second computing environment further comprises the second processing resource configured according to the second configuration,

the second processing resource comprises a software component, and

the first configuration further specifies a type of the software component.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

accepting a first input from a user input device, wherein

the first input selects the processing platform from a plurality of processing platforms;

accepting a second input from the user input device, wherein

the second input selects the software component from a plurality of software components; and

automatically installing the software component on the processing platform.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the software component is one of

a server component, or

a client component.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein

each processing platform of the plurality of processing platform tracks active processing platforms included in the dynamic computing environment.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

automatically managing a license for the software component.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein

the first computing environment comprises a first plurality of processing resources,

the first plurality of processing resources comprises the first and second processing resources,

the second computing environment comprises a second plurality of processing resources, and

the second plurality of processing resources comprises the first and second processing resources.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein

the first and second plurality of processing resources comprise additional hardware and software components.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a graphical user interface on a display device of a computer system, wherein

the first and second computing environments are created using the graphical user interface.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein

the graphical user interface facilitates construction of the first and second computing environments.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the first processing resource according to the first configuration; and

configuring the first processing resource according to the second configuration.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying a list of processing resources in a graphical user interface;

accepting a first input indicating the first processing resource and the first configuration; and

accepting a second input indicating the first processing resource and the second configuration.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

controlling access to the first and second computing environments via a graphical user interface, wherein

the first and second computing environments are controlled using account information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein

the account information indicates whether said access includes permission to create or modify the first computing environment or the second computing environment.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein

the first configuration identifies a first processing platform for the hardware component, and

the second configuration identifies a second processing platform for the hardware component.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accepting a first input from a user input device, wherein

the first input selects the type of the hardware component from a plurality of types of hardware components.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein

the creating the first computing environment comprises

selecting the first discrete processor out of a plurality of discrete processors, wherein

the selecting is based, at least in part, on the first configuration.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein

a software component is configured to be installed using the first discrete processor.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein

a software component is configured to be executed, during the first time period, using the first discrete processor.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein

the selecting the first processing resource comprises specifying a first host-name associated with the first processing resource, and

the selecting the second processing resource comprises specifying a second host-name associated with the second processing resource.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a first subnet, wherein

the first subnet comprises a plurality of computers at a first geographic location; and

adding the first subnet to the first computing environment.

22. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions executable to:

create a first computing environment, wherein

creating the first computing environment comprises

selecting a first processing resource to be added to the first computing environment, wherein

the first processing resource is configured according to a first configuration received from a first source,

the first processing resource comprises a first discrete processor,

the first configuration specifies a first type of processor, and

the first discrete processor is of the first type of processor, and

selecting a second processing resource to be added to the first computing environment, wherein

the second processing resource is physically separate from the first processing resource,

the second processing resource is configured according to the first configuration received from the first source,

the second processing resource comprises a second discrete processor,

the first configuration specifies a second type of processor, and

the second discrete processor is of the second type of processor;

provide the first computing environment for a first time period, wherein

the first computing environment provides the first discrete processor and the second discrete processor as specified by the first configuration;

create a second computing environment, wherein

the second computing environment comprises the first processing resource configured according to a second configuration,

the second configuration specifies the first type of processor, and

the second configuration represents a configuration received from a second source; and

provide the second computing environment for a second time period, wherein

the first time period and the second time period are mutually exclusive.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein

the first processing resource comprises a processing platform,

the second computing environment further comprises the second processing resource configured according to the second configuration,

the second processing resource comprises a software component, and

the first configuration further specifies a type of the software component.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

accept a first input from a user input device, wherein

the first input selects the processing platform from a plurality of processing platforms;

accept a second input from the user input device, wherein

the second input selects the software module from a plurality of software modules; and

automatically install the software module on the processing platform.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

configure the first processing resource according to the first configuration; and

configure the first processing resource according to the second configuration.

26. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

display a list of processing resources in a graphical user interface;

accept a first input indicating the first processing resource and the first configuration; and

accept a second input indicating the first processing resource and the second configuration.

27. A computer system comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the memory stores program instructions executable by the one or more processors to;

the creating comprises

selecting a first processing resource to be added to the first computing environment, wherein

the first processing resource is configured according to a first configuration received from a first source,

the first processing resource comprises a first discrete processor,

the first configuration specifies a first type of processor, and

the first discrete processor is of the first type of processor, and

selecting a second processing resource to be added to the first computing environment, wherein

the second processing resource is physically separate from the first processing resource,

the second processing resource is configured according to the first configuration received from the first source,

the second processing resource comprises a second discrete processor,

the first configuration specifies a second type of processor, and

the second discrete processor is of the second type of processor;

provide the first computing environment for a first time period, wherein

the first computing environment provides the first discrete processor and the second discrete processor as specified by the first configuration;

create a second computing environment, wherein

the second computing environment comprises the first processing resource configured according to a second configuration,

the second configuration specifies the first type of processor, and

the second configuration represents a configuration received from a second source; and

provide the second computing environment for a second time period, wherein

the first time period and the second time period are mutually exclusive.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein

the first processing resource comprises a processing platform,

the second computing environment further comprises the second processing resource configured according to the second configuration,

the second processing resource comprises a software component, and

the second processing resource comprises a software module.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

accept a first input from a user input device, wherein

the first input selects the processing platform from a plurality of processing platforms;

accept a second input from the user input device, wherein

the second input selects the software module from a plurality of software modules; and

automatically install the software module on the processing platform.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

configure the first processing resource according to the first configuration; and

configure the first processing resource according to the second configuration.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

display a list of processing resources in a graphical user interface;

accept a first input indicating the first processing resource and the first configuration; and

accept a second input indicating the first processing resource and the second configuration.