Systems and methods for an extensible administration tool

• US 20050188295A1
• Filed: 02/25/2004
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BEA Systems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: BEA Systems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Chiodo, Chris, Calahan, Patrick, Konkus, Loren
• Application Number:
  US10/786,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20050188295A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor

Abstract

A system and method for an extensible administration tool, comprising: a first graphical user interface (GUI) operable to provide hierarchical navigation of a tree; a second GUI operable to provide at least one control panel; a framework for customizing the first and second GUIs; and wherein the at least one control panel can be activated by selection of the node in the tree.

Claims

1. An extensible administration tool, comprising:

a first graphical user interface (GUI) operable to provide hierarchical navigation of a tree;

a second GUI operable to provide at least one control panel;

a framework for customizing the first and second GUIs; and

wherein the at least one control panel can be activated by selection of the node in the tree.

2. The tool of claim 1 wherein the framework comprises:

a first group of services related to extending the tree; and

a second group of services related to defining a control panel.

3. The tool of claim 2 wherein the first group of services includes:

first functions operable to add a node to the tree; and

wherein the node can be associated with an icon and/or a Uniform Resource Locator (URL).

4. The tool of claim 3 wherein:

the URL is the address of a control panel implementation.

5. The tool of claim 2 wherein the second group of services includes:

first functions operable to create a control panel.

6. The tool of claim 1 wherein:

the tree contains at least one node; and

wherein the at least one node can represent a network-accessible entity that can be administratively controlled by the tool.

7. The tool of claim 1 wherein:

the tree contains at least one node; and

wherein the at least one node is associated with at least one of;

     1) a menu;

     2) another node; and

     3) a control panel.

8. The tool of claim 1 wherein:

the tree provides a graphical representation of network resources.

9. The tool of claim 1 wherein:

the tool can be used to administer resources within an application and/or web server.

10. The tool of claim 1 wherein:

the at least one control panel can include tabs.

11. An extensible administration tool, comprising:

a first graphical user interface (GUI) operable to provide hierarchical navigation of a tree;

a second GUI operable to provide at least one control panel;

a framework for customizing the first and second GUIs;

wherein the at least one control panel can be activated by selection of the node in the tree; and

wherein the tool can be used to administer resources within an application and/or web server.

12. The tool of claim 11 wherein the framework comprises:

a first group of services related to extending the tree; and

a second group of services related to defining a control panel.

13. The tool of claim 12 wherein the first group of services includes:

first functions operable to add a node to the tree; and

wherein the node can be associated with an icon and/or a Uniform Resource Locator (URL).

14. The tool of claim 13 wherein:

the URL is the address of a control panel implementation.

15. The tool of claim 12 wherein the second group of services includes:

first functions operable to create a control panel.

16. The tool of claim 11 wherein:

the tree contains at least one node; and

wherein the at least one node can represent a network-accessible entity that can be administratively controlled by the tool.

17. The tool of claim 11 wherein:

the tree contains at least one node; and

wherein the at least one node is associated with at least one of;

     1) a menu;

     2) another node; and

     3) a control panel.

18. The tool of claim 11 wherein:

the tree provides a graphical representation of network resources.

19. The tool of claim 11 wherein:

the at least one control panel can include tabs.

20. A method for customizing an administration tool, said method comprising:

providing a control panel wherein the control panel is operable to configure a network-accessible resource;

adding a node to a graphical representation of a resource tree;

associating the node with the control panel; and

wherein the control panel can be activated by selection of the node in the resource tree.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein providing a control panel comprises:

implementing a Java Server Page (JSP).

22. The method of claim 20 wherein adding a node to the resource tree comprises:

making the node a child of at least one other node.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein:

the tree contains at least one node; and

wherein the at least one node can represent a network-accessible entity that can be administratively controlled by the tool.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein:

the tree contains at least one node; and

wherein the at least one node is associated with at least one of;

     1) a menu;

     1) another node; and

     3) a control panel.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein:

the tree provides a graphical representation of network resources.

26. The method of claim 20 wherein:

the tool can be used to administer resources within an application and/or a web server.

27. The method of claim 20 wherein:

the control panel can include tabs.

28. A method for customizing an administration tool, said method comprising:

providing a control panel wherein the control panel is operable to configure a network-accessible resource;

adding a node to a graphical representation of a resource tree;

associating the node with the control panel;

wherein the control panel can be activated by selection of the node in the resource tree; and

wherein the tool can be used to administer resources within an application and/or a web server.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein providing a control panel comprises:

implementing a Java Server Page (JSP).

30. The method of claim 28 wherein adding a node to the resource tree comprises:

making the node a child of at least one other node.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein:

the tree contains at least one node; and

wherein the at least one node can represent a network-accessible entity that can be administratively controlled by the tool.

32. The method of claim 28 wherein:

the tree contains at least one node; and

wherein the at least one node is associated with at least one of;

     1) a menu;

     1) another node; and

     3) a control panel.

33. The method of claim 28 wherein:

the tree provides a graphical representation of network resources.

34. The method of claim 28 wherein:

the control panel can include tabs.

35. A machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon that when executed by a processor cause a system to:

provide a control panel wherein the control panel is operable to configure a network-accessible resource;

add a node to a graphical representation of a resource tree;

associate the node with the control panel;

wherein the control panel can be activated by selection of the node in the resource tree; and

wherein the tool can be used to administer resources within an application and/or a web server.

36. The machine readable medium of claim 35 wherein providing a control panel comprises instructions that when executed cause the system to:

implement a Java Server Page (JSP).

37. The machine readable medium of claim 35 wherein adding a node to the resource tree further comprising instructions that when executed cause the system to:

make the node a child of at least one other node.

38. The machine readable medium of claim 35 wherein:

the tree contains at least one node; and

wherein the at least one node can represent a network-accessible entity that can be administratively controlled by the tool.

39. The machine readable medium of claim 35 wherein:

the tree contains at least one node; and

wherein the at least one node is associated with at least one of;

     1) a menu;

     1) another node; and

     3) a control panel.

40. The machine readable medium of claim 35 wherein:

the tree provides a graphical representation of network resources.

41. The machine readable medium of claim 35 wherein:

the control panel can include tabs.