Display apparatus, display method, and display program

• US 9,900,175 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2012
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Ohno, Takeo, Sonoda, Kentaro
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHREWSBURY, NATHAN K
• Application Number:
  US13/689,169
• Publication Number:
  US 20130275876A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,909 Days
• Field of Search: 715736
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity

Abstract

A display apparatus according to an exemplary aspect of the invention includes a display unit which displays information on a system, which includes a plurality of system resources and one or more than one networks connecting the system resources, on a screen of a display device, wherein the display unit displays system resource identifiers which identify the system resources respectively, and network identifiers which identify the networks respectively, and furthermore displays a state of connection between the system resource and the network at an area determined on the basis of the displayed system resource identifier and the displayed network identifier, on the screen.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor configured to execute;

a display unit which displays information corresponding to a system on a screen of a display device, said system including a plurality of system resources and one or more networks connecting said system resources,

wherein said display unit displays a plurality of system resource identifiers which identify said plurality of system resources respectively and one or more network identifiers which identify said one or more networks respectively, and displays a state of connection between one of said system resources and one of said one or more networks at a position which is determined on the basis of a position at which the system resource identifier corresponding to the one of said system resources is displayed and a position at which the network identifier corresponding to the one of said one or more networks is displayed, and

wherein said display unit receives an input to designate a connection between one of said plurality of said system resources and one of said one or more networks in said system at an operation position on said screen, said operation position corresponding to the position which said state of connection is displayed; and

a setting unit which sets connection between one of said plurality of system resources identified by one of said plurality of system resource identifiers displayed at a position corresponding to said operation position and one of said one or more networks identified by one of said one or more network identifiers displayed at the position corresponding to said operation position.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said display unit displays a two-dimensional matrix with said system resource identifiers in either one of a row and a column of said matrix, and said network identifiers in the other of said row and said column;

and wherein

said setting unit sets connection between one of said plurality of system resources identified by one of said plurality of system resource identifiers displayed at either one of a row and a column of said matrix corresponding to said operation position and one of said one or more networks identified by one of said one or more network identifiers displayed at the other of said row and said column corresponding to said operation position.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said display unit displays furthermore a network adding icon on said screen of said display device, and in response to detecting that said network adding icon is handled, adds either of a new column and a new row, corresponding to a new network to said matrix and displays said matrix, and

said setting unit generates said new network when said network adding icon is handled.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said display unit displays furthermore a network adding icon on said screen of said display device, and in response to detecting that said network adding icon is handled, acquires one of said one or more network identifiers identifying a hidden network which is one of the one or more networks included in said system and not displayed on said screen, and adds either of a new column and a new row, which is corresponding to said hidden network to said matrix, and displays said matrix.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

at least one of said system resources is a virtual computer,

said display unit displays furthermore a computer adding icon on said screen of said display device, and in response to detecting that said computer adding icon is handled, adds either of a new row and a new column, which is corresponding to a new virtual computer to said matrix, and displays said matrix, and

said setting unit generates said new virtual computer when said computer adding icon is handled.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

at least one of said system resources is a computer which is either of a real computer and a virtual computer,

said display unit displays furthermore a computer adding icon on said screen of said display device, and in response to detecting that said computer adding icon is handled, acquires one of said system resource identifiers identifying a hidden computer, which is said computer included in said system and not displayed on said screen, and adds either of a new row and a new column, which is corresponding to said new computer to said matrix, and displays said matrix.

7. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said display unit acquires information regarding connection among said networks and system resources, selects two system resources, a first system resource and a second system resource, which are not connected to same one of said networks, arranges said network identifiers, along a first axis of a two-dimensional coordinate system defined on said screen, and said system resource identifiers, along a second axis of said two-dimensional coordinate system, while placing said system resource identifiers of said first system resource and said second system resource at the same row or column on said second axis.

8. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

at least one of said system resources is a computer which is either of a real computer and a virtual computer, at least one of said networks is a VLAN, said system includes one or more than one switches each of which has a plurality of ports and realizes said VLAN connecting designated said ports to each other, each of said plural computers is connected with any one of said ports, and wherein

said setting unit acquires connection setting information including an instruction for connecting or disconnecting a selected computer and a selected network to each other, said selected computer being one of said computer identified by one of said plurality of system resource identifiers displayed at a position corresponding to said operation position, and said selected network being one of said networks identified by one of said one or more network identifiers displayed at a position corresponding to said operation position, and sets said state of connection between said selected computer and said selected network on the basis of said connection setting information, and wherein

said setting unit, a) if said connection setting information includes said instruction for connection, issues an instruction to said switch to make said port, with which said selected computer is connected, included in said VLAN which is said selected network, b) if said connection setting information includes said instruction for disconnection, issues an instruction to said switch to make said port, with which said selected computer is connected, erased from said VLAN which is said selected network, and, c) when said network adding icon is handled, generates new definition information on said VLAN, and outputs said new definition information to said switch.

9. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

at least one of said system resources is a computer which is either of a real computer and a virtual computer, and said system includes one or more than one open flow switches each of which realizes at least one of said networks, and each of said plural computers is connected with any one of said open flow switches,

said apparatus includes furthermore an OF configuration storing unit which stores an OF control table indicating connection between said computers and said networks, and an open flow controller which sends flow table information to said open flow switches so as to enable communication between said computers which are connected with the same said network respectively on said OF control table, and wherein

said setting unit acquires connection setting information including an instruction for connecting or disconnecting a selected computer and a selected network to each other, said selected computer being one of said computer identified by one of said plurality of system resource identifiers displayed at a position corresponding to said operation position, and said selected network being one of said networks identified by one of said one or more network identifiers displayed at a position corresponding to said operation position, and sets said state of connection between said selected computer and said selected network on the basis of said connection setting information, and wherein

said setting unit, a) if said connection setting information includes said instruction for connection, adds connection between said selected computer and said selected network to said OF control table, b) if said connection setting information includes said instruction for disconnection, erases connection between said selected computer and said selected network from said OF control table, and c) when said network adding icon is handled, registers said new network in said OF control table.

10. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

said system resources are virtual computers realized by a virtual computer monitor running on said apparatus, and said networks are virtual networks realized by said virtual computer monitor,

said apparatus includes furthermore a virtual configuration storing unit storing a virtual configuration table indicating connection between said virtual computers and said virtual networks,

said virtual computer monitor makes said virtual computers, which are connected with the same said virtual network, communicate with each other with reference to said virtual configuration table, and wherein

said setting unit acquires connection setting information including an instruction for connecting or disconnecting a selected computer and a selected network to each other, said selected computer being one of said computer identified by one of said plurality of system resource identifiers displayed at a position corresponding to said operation position, said selected network being one of said networks identified by one of said one or more network identifiers displayed at a position corresponding to said operation position, and sets said state of connection between said selected computer and said selected network on the basis of said connection setting information, and wherein

said setting unit, a) if said setting information includes said instruction for connection, writes information on connection between said selected computer and said selected network in said virtual configuration table, b) if said setting information includes said instruction for disconnection, erases information on connection between said selected computer and said selected network from said virtual configuration table, and c) when said network adding icon is handled, registers a new virtual network in said virtual configuration table.

32. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said position which the state of connection is displayed is different from both the position of the system resource identifier corresponding to the one of said system resources and the position of the network identifier corresponding to the one of said one or more networks.

33. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said state of connection identifies whether or not the one of said system resources is connected with the one of said one or more networks, said operation position corresponding to a position specifying a state in which the associated one of the system resources and the associated one of the network resources are not connected to each other.

11. A method of displaying information corresponding to a system on a screen of a display device, aid system including a plurality of system resources and one or more networks connecting said system resources, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of system resource identifiers which identify said plurality of system resources respectively and one or more network identifiers which identify said one or more networks respectively;

displaying a state of connection between one of said system resources and one of said one or more networks at a position which is determined on the basis of a position at which the system resource identifier corresponding to the one of said system resources is displayed and a position at which the network identifier corresponding to the one of said one or more networks is displayed;

receiving an input to designate a connection between one of said plurality of said system resources and one of said one or more networks in said system at an operation position on said screen, said operation position corresponding to the position which said state of connection is displayed; and

setting connection between one of said plurality of system resources identified by one of said plurality of system resource identifiers displayed at a position corresponding to said operation position and one of said one or more networks identified by one of said one or more network identifiers displayed at the position corresponding to said operation position.

12. The method according to claim 11, comprising:

displaying a two-dimensional matrix with said system resource identifiers, in either one of a row and a column of said matrix; and

said network identifiers in the other of said row and said column, and wherein

said setting comprises setting the connection between one of said plurality of system resources identified by one of said plurality of system resource identifiers displayed at either one of a row and a column of said matrix corresponding to said operation position and one of said one or more networks identified by one of said one or more network identifiers displayed at the other of said row and said column corresponding to said operation position.

13. The method according to claim 12, comprising:

displaying furthermore a network adding icon on said screen of said display device; and

in response to detecting that said network adding icon is handled;

generating a new network,

adding either of a new column and a new raw, corresponding to said new network, to said matrix, and

displaying said matrix.

14. The method according to claim 12, comprising:

displaying furthermore a network adding icon on said screen of said display device; and

in response to detecting that said network adding icon is handled;

acquiring one of said one or more network identifiers identifying a hidden network which is one of said one or more networks included in said system and not displayed on said screen,

adding either of a new column and a new raw, which is corresponding to said hidden network to said matrix; and

displaying said matrix.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein at least one of said system resources is a virtual computer, the method further comprising:

displaying furthermore a computer adding icon on said screen of said display device, and

in response to detecting that said computer adding icon is handled;

generating a new virtual computer,

adding either of a new row and a new column, which is corresponding to said new virtual computer, to said matrix; and

displaying said matrix.

16. The management method according to claim 12, wherein

at least one of said system resources is a computer which is either of a real computer and a virtual computer, the method further comprising:

displaying furthermore a computer adding icon on said screen of said display device;

in response detecting that said computer adding icon is handled;

acquiring one of said system resource identifiers identifying a hidden computer, which is said computer included in said system and not displayed on said screen,

adding either of a new row and a new column, which is corresponding to said new computer not displayed on said screen, to said matrix; and

displaying said matrix.

17. The method according to claim 12, comprising:

acquiring information regarding connection among said networks and system resources,

selecting two system resources, a first system resource and a second system resource, which are not connected to same one of said networks, and arranging said network identifiers, along a first axis of a two-dimensional coordinate system defined on said screen, and said system resource identifiers, along a second axis of said two-dimensional coordinate system, while placing said system resource identifiers of said first system resource and said second system resource at the same row or column on said second axis.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein

at least one of said system resources is a computer which is either of a real computer and a virtual computer, at least one of said networks is a VLAN, said system includes one or more than one switches each of which has a plurality of ports and realizes said VLAN connecting designated said ports each other, each of said plural computers is connected with any one of said ports, and said method further comprises:

acquiring connection setting information including an instruction for connecting or disconnecting a selected computer and a selected network to each other, said selected computer being one of said computer identified by one of said plurality of system resource identifiers displayed at a position corresponding to said operation position, and said selected network being one of said networks identified by one of said one or more network identifiers displayed at a position corresponding to said operation position;

setting said state of connection between said selected system resource computer and said selected network on the basis of said connection setting information;

issuing an instruction to said switch to make said port, with which said selected computer is connected, included in said VLAN, which is said selected network, if said connection setting information includes said instruction for connection;

issuing an instruction to said switch to make said port, with which said selected computer is connected, erased from said VLAN, which is said selected network, if said connection setting information includes said instruction for disconnection; and

generating new definition information on said VLAN when said network adding icon is handled, and outputting said new definition information to said switch.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein

at least one of said system resources is a computer which is either of a real computer and a virtual computer, said system includes one or more than one open flow switches each of which realizes at least one of said networks, and each of said plural computers is connected with any one of said open flow switches, and said method further comprises:

storing an OF control table indicating connection between said computers and said networks;

sending flow table information to said open flow switches so as to enable communication between said computers which are connected with the same said network respectively on said OF control table;

acquiring connection setting information including an instruction for connecting or disconnecting a selected computer and a selected network to each other, said selected computer being one of said computer identified by one of said plurality of system resource identifiers displayed at a position corresponding to said operation position, and said selected network being one of said networks identified by one of said one or more network identifiers displayed at a position corresponding to said operation position;

setting said state of connection between said selected computer and said selected network on the basis of said connection setting information;

adding connection between said selected computer and said selected networks to said OF control table if said setting information includes said instruction for connection;

erasing connecting between said selected computer and said selected network from said OF control table if said setting information includes said instruction for disconnection; and

registering said new network in said OF control table when said network adding icon is handled.

20. The method according to claim 13, wherein

said system resources are virtual computers realized by a virtual computer monitor running on said apparatus, and said networks are virtual networks realized by said virtual computer monitor, and said method further comprises:

storing a virtual configuration table indicating connection between said virtual computers and said virtual networks,

carrying out communication between said virtual computers, which are connected with the same said virtual network respectively, with reference to said virtual configuration table;

acquiring connection setting information including an instruction for connecting or disconnecting a selected computer and a selected network to each other, said selected computer being one of said computer identified by one of said plurality of system resource identifiers displayed at a position corresponding to said operation position, and said selected network being one of said networks identified by one of said one or more network identifiers displayed at a position corresponding to said operation position;

setting said state of connection between said selected computer and said selected network on the basis of said connection setting information;

writing information on connection between said selected computer and said selected network in said virtual configuration table if said setting information includes said instruction for connection;

erasing information on connection between said selected computer and said selected network from said virtual configuration table if said setting information includes said instruction for disconnection; and

registering said new virtual network in said virtual configuration table when said network adding icon is handled.

21. A computer readable non-transitory storage apparatus storing a program making a computer carry out a process of displaying information corresponding to a system on a screen of a display device, aid system including a plurality of system resources and one or more networks connecting said system resources, wherein

said program makes said computer carry out a process of:

displaying a plurality of system resource identifiers which identify said plurality of system resources respectively and one or more network identifiers which identify said one or more networks respectively;

displaying a state of connection between one of said system resources and one of said one or more networks at a position which is determined on the basis of a position at which the system resource identifier corresponding to the one of said system resources is displayed and a position at which the network identifier corresponding to the one of said one or more networks is displayed;

receiving an input to designate a connection between one of said plurality of said system resources and one of said one or more networks in said system at an operation position on said screen, said operation position corresponding to the position which said state of connection is displayed; and

setting connection between one of said plurality of system resources identified by one of said plurality of system resource identifiers displayed at a position corresponding to said operation position and one of said one or more networks identified by one of said one or more network identifiers displayed at the position corresponding to said operation position.

22. The computer readable non-transitory medium according to claim 21, wherein said program makes said computer carry out a process of:

displaying a two-dimensional matrix with said system resource identifiers, in either one of a row and a column of said matrix; and

said network identifiers in the other of said row and said column, and wherein

said setting comprises setting the connection between one of said plurality of system resources identified by one of said plurality of system resource identifiers displayed at either one of a row and a column of said matrix corresponding to said operation position and one of said one or more networks identified by one of said one or more network identifiers displayed at the other of said row and said column corresponding to said operation position.

23. The computer readable non-transitory medium according to claim 22 wherein said program makes said computer carry out a process of:

displaying furthermore a network adding icon on said screen of said display device; and

in response to detecting that said network adding icon is handled;

generating a new network,

adding either of a new column and a new raw, corresponding to said new network, to said matrix, and

displaying said matrix.

24. The computer readable non-transitory medium according to claim 22 wherein said program makes said computer carry out a process of:

displaying furthermore a network adding icon on said screen of said display device; and

in response to detecting that said network adding icon is handled;

acquiring one of said one or more network identifiers identifying a hidden network which is one of said one or more networks included in said system and not displayed on said screen,

adding either of a new column and a new raw, which is corresponding to said hidden network to said matrix; and

displaying said matrix.

25. The computer readable non-transitory medium according to claim 22 wherein

at least one of said system resources is a virtual computer, and

said program makes said computer carry out a process of:

displaying furthermore a computer adding icon on said screen of said display device, and

in response to detecting that said computer adding icon is handled;

generating a new virtual computer,

adding either of a new row and a new column, which is corresponding to said new virtual computer, to said matrix; and

displaying said matrix.

26. The computer readable non-transitory medium according to claim 22, wherein

at least one of said system resources is a computer which is either of a real computer and a virtual computer, and

said program makes said computer carry out a process of:

displaying furthermore a computer adding icon on said screen of said display device;

in response detecting that said computer adding icon is handled;

acquiring one of said system resource identifiers identifying a hidden computer, which is said computer included in said system and not displayed on said screen,

adding either of a new row and a new column, which is corresponding to said new computer not displayed on said screen, to said matrix; and

displaying said matrix.

27. The computer readable non-transitory medium according to claim 22, wherein said program makes said computer carry out a process of:

acquiring information regarding connection among said networks and system resources,

selecting two system resources, a first system resource and a second system resource, which are not connected to same one of said networks, and

arranging said network identifiers, along a first axis of a two-dimensional coordinate system defined on said screen, and said system resource identifiers, along a second axis of said two-dimensional coordinate system, while placing said system resource identifiers of said first system resource and said second system resource at the same row or column on said second axis.

28. The computer readable non-transitory medium according to claim 23 wherein

at least one of said system resources is a computer which is either of a real computer and a virtual computer, at least one of said networks is a VLAN, said system includes one or more than one switches each of which has a plurality of ports and realizes said VLAN connecting designated said ports each other, each of said plural computers is connected with any one of said ports, said program makes said computer carry out a process of:

acquiring connection setting information including an instruction for connecting or disconnecting a selected computer and a selected network to each other, said selected computer being one of said computer identified by one of said plurality of system resource identifiers displayed at a position corresponding to said operation position, and said selected network being one of said networks identified by one of said one or more network identifiers displayed at a position corresponding to said operation position;

setting said state of connection between said selected system resource and said selected network on the basis of said connection setting information;

issuing an instruction to said switch to make said port, with which said selected computer is connected, included in said VLAN, which is said selected network, if said connection setting information includes said instruction for connection;

issuing an instruction to said switch to make said port, with which said selected computer is connected, erased from said VLAN, which is said selected network, if said connection setting information includes said instruction for disconnection; and

generating new definition information on said VLAN when said network adding icon is handled, and outputting said new definition information to said switch.

29. The computer readable non-transitory medium according to claim 23 wherein

at least one of said system resources is a computer which is either of a real computer and a virtual computer, said system includes one or more than one open flow switches each of which realizes at least one of said networks, and each of said plural computers is connected with any one of said open flow switches, and said program makes said computer carry out a process of:

storing an OF control table indicating connection between said computers and said networks;

sending flow table information to said open flow switch so as to enable communication between said computers which are connected with the same said network respectively on said OF control table;

acquiring connection setting information including an instruction for connecting or disconnecting a selected computer and a selected network to each other, said selected computer being one of said computer identified by one of said plurality of system resource identifiers displayed at a position corresponding to said operation position, and said selected network being one of said networks identified by one of said one or more network identifiers displayed at a position corresponding to said operation position;

setting said state of connection between said selected system resource and said selected network on the basis of said connection setting information;

adding connection between said selected computer and said selected network to said OF control table if said setting information includes said instruction for connection;

erasing connection between said selected computer and said selected network from said OF control table if said setting information includes said instruction for disconnection; and

registering said new network in said OF control table when said network adding icon is handled.

30. The computer readable non-transitory medium according to claim 23 wherein

said system resources are virtual computers realized by a virtual computer monitor running on said apparatus, and said networks are virtual networks realized by said virtual computer monitor, and said program makes said computer carry out a process of:

storing a virtual configuration table indicating connection between said virtual computers and said virtual networks;

carrying out communication between said virtual computers, which are connected with the same said virtual network respectively, with reference to said virtual configuration table;

acquiring connection setting information including an instruction for connecting or disconnecting a selected computer and a selected network to each other, said selected computer being one of said computer identified by one of said plurality of system resource identifiers displayed at a position corresponding to said operation position, and said selected network being one of said networks identified by one of said one or more network identifiers displayed at a position corresponding to said operation position,

setting said state of connection between said selected computer and said selected network on the basis of said connection setting information;

writing information on connection between said selected computer and said selected network in said virtual configuration table if said setting information includes said instruction for connection;

erasing information on connection between said selected computer and said selected network from said virtual configuration table if said setting information includes said instruction for disconnection; and

registering said new virtual network in said virtual configuration table when said network adding icon is handled.

31. An apparatus, comprising:

means for displaying information corresponding to a system on a screen of a display device, said system including a plurality of system resources and one or more networks connecting said system resources, wherein

said display means is for displaying a plurality of system resource identifiers which identify said plurality of system resources respectively and one or more network identifiers which identify said one or more networks respectively, and is for displaying a state of connection between one of said system resources and one of said one or more networks at a position which is determined on the basis of a position at which the system resource identifier corresponding to the one of said system resources is displayed and a position at which the network identifier corresponding to the one of said one or more networks is displayed, and

wherein said display means is for receiving an input to designate a connection between one of said plurality of said system resources and one of said one or more networks in said system at an operation position on said screen, said operation position corresponding to the position which said state of connection is displayed; and

means for setting connection between one of said plurality of system resources identified by one of said plurality of system resource identifiers displayed at a position corresponding to said operation position and one of said one or more networks identified by one of said one or more network identifiers displayed at the position corresponding to said operation position.