MULTI-VIEW USER INTERFACE FOR SERVER CABLING DISPLAY

• US 20110209082A1
• Filed: 02/24/2010
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Conzola, Vincent C., Meserth, Timothy, Eischeid, Todd, Molander, Mark E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,710,595 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/18 Network design, e.g. design based on topological or interconnect aspects of utility systems, piping, heating ventilation air conditioning [HVAC] or cabling circuit design at the physical level G06F30/39; network planning tools for wireless communication networks H04W16/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

Methods and systems for displaying graphical representations of server system cabling in the data center may include, but are not limited to operations for: generating a pattern view of a cabling scheme; generating a routing view of a cabling scheme; receiving a request to display a pattern view of a cabling scheme; transmitting data representing the pattern view of the cabling scheme; receiving a request to display a routing view of the cabling scheme; and transmitting data representing the routing view of the cabling scheme.

The display of various graphical representations of the cabling scheme may facilitate various service operations associated with the cabling. Such service operations may include installation, maintenance, trouble shooting and optimization for a cabled server cluster.

Claims

1. A method for server cabling display comprising:

generating a pattern view of a cabling scheme;

generating a routing view of a cabling scheme;

receiving a request to display a pattern view of a cabling scheme;

transmitting data representing the pattern view of the cabling scheme to a display device;

receiving a request to display a routing view of the cabling scheme;

transmitting data representing the routing view of the cabling scheme to the display device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating a pattern view of a cabling scheme comprises:

generating data representing a graphical view of at least one substantially direct interconnect between at least a first server node and a second server node.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the generating data representing a graphical view of at least one substantially direct interconnect between at least a first server node and a second server node comprises:

receiving one or more server cluster configuration parameters defining one or more physical configurations of the first server node and the second server node;

mapping the at least one substantially direct interconnect between the first server node and the second server node according to the server cluster configuration parameters and one or more mapping rules; and

storing data representing a graphical view of the at least one substantially direct interconnect overlaid with a graphical view of at least a portion of a server cluster.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating a routing view of a cabling scheme comprises:

generating data representing a graphical view of at least one interconnect approximating an actual physical routing of a cable with respect to physical server node environment features between the first server node and the second server node.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the generating data representing a graphical view of at least one interconnect approximating an actual physical routing of a cable with respect to physical server node environment features between the first server node and the second server node comprises:

receiving one or more server cluster configuration parameters defining one or more physical configurations of the first server node and the second server node;

mapping the at least one interconnect approximating an actual physical routing of a cable with respect to physical server node environment features between the first server node and the second server node according to the server cluster configuration parameters and one or more mapping rules; and

storing data representing a graphical view of the at least one interconnect approximating an actual physical routing of a cable with respect to physical server node environment features between the first server node and the second server node overlaid with a graphical view of at least a portion of a server cluster.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to simultaneously display at least a portion of the pattern view of the cabling scheme and at least a portion of the routing view of the cabling scheme; and

transmitting data representing at least a portion of the pattern view of the cabling scheme and at least a portion the routing view of the cabling scheme simultaneously to the display device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a request to display a pattern view of a cabling scheme further comprises:

receiving a request to display only a portion the pattern view of the cabling scheme.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the receiving a request to display only a portion the pattern view of the cabling scheme comprises:

receiving a request to display only the pattern view of the cabling scheme within a single server rack.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the receiving a request to display only a portion the pattern view of the cabling scheme comprises:

receiving a request to display only the pattern view of the cabling scheme between a first server rack and a second server rack.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the transmitting data representing the pattern view of the cabling scheme to a display device comprises:

transmitting data representing only a portion of the pattern view of the cabling scheme to the display device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a request to display a routing view of the cabling scheme comprises:

receiving a request to display only a portion of the routing view of the cabling scheme.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the receiving a request to display only a portion of the routing view of the cabling scheme comprises:

receiving a request to display only a portion of the routing view of the cabling scheme within a single server rack.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the receiving a request to display only a portion of the routing view of the cabling scheme comprises:

receiving a request to display only portions of the routing view of the cabling scheme connecting a first server rack and a second server rack.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the receiving a request to display only a portion of the routing view of the cabling scheme comprises:

receiving a request to display only a portion of the routing view of the cabling scheme for a single cable.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the transmitting data representing the routing view of the cabling scheme to a display device comprises:

transmitting data representing only a portion of the routing view of the cabling scheme to the display device.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to display a length of one or more cables in the cabling scheme; and

transmitting data representing the length of the one or more cables in the cabling scheme to the display device.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the generating a pattern view of a cabling scheme further comprises:

generating data representing a graphical view of at least one substantially direct interconnect between at least a first server node and a second server node.

19. The system of claim 2, wherein the generating data representing a graphical view of at least one substantially direct interconnect between at least a first server node and a second server node further comprises:

receiving one or more server cluster configuration parameters defining one or more physical configurations of the first server node and the second server node;

mapping the at least one substantially direct interconnect between the first server node and the second server node according to the server cluster configuration parameters and one or more mapping rules; and

storing data representing a graphical view of the at least one substantially direct interconnect overlaid with a graphical view of at least a portion of a server cluster.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the generating a routing view of a cabling scheme further comprises:

generating data representing a graphical view of at least one interconnect approximating an actual physical routing of a cable with respect to physical server node environment features between the first server node and the second server node.

21. The system of claim 4, wherein the generating data representing a graphical view of at least one interconnect approximating an actual physical routing of a cable with respect to physical server node environment features between the first server node and the second server node further comprises:

receiving one or more server cluster configuration parameters defining one or more physical configurations of the first server node and the second server node;

mapping the at least one interconnect approximating an actual physical routing of a cable with respect to physical server node environment features between the first server node and the second server node according to the server cluster configuration parameters and one or more mapping rules; and

storing data representing a graphical view of the at least one interconnect approximating an actual physical routing of a cable with respect to physical server node environment features between the first server node and the second server node overlaid with a graphical view of at least a portion of a server cluster.

17. A system for server cabling display comprising:

a computing device;

a user input device operably coupled to the computing device;

a display device operably coupled to the computing device,

wherein the computing device is configured for;

receiving a request to display a pattern view of a cabling scheme from the user input device;

transmitting data representing the pattern view of the cabling scheme to the display device;

receiving a request to display a routing view of the cabling scheme from the user input device; and

transmitting data representing the routing view of the cabling scheme to the display device.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the computing device is further configured for:

receiving a request to simultaneously display at least a portion of the pattern view of the cabling scheme and at least a portion of the routing view of the cabling scheme; and

transmitting data representing at least a portion of the pattern view of the cabling scheme and at least a portion the routing view of the cabling scheme simultaneously to the display device.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the receiving a request to display a pattern view of a cabling scheme further comprises:

receiving a request to display only a portion the pattern view of the cabling scheme.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the receiving a request to display only a portion the pattern view of the cabling scheme comprises:

receiving a request to display only the pattern view of the cabling scheme within a single server rack.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the receiving a request to display only a portion the pattern view of the cabling scheme comprises:

receiving a request to display only the pattern view of the cabling scheme between a first server rack and a second server rack.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the transmitting data representing the pattern view of the cabling scheme to the display device comprises:

transmitting data representing only a portion of the pattern view of the cabling scheme to the display device.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein the receiving a request to display a routing view of the cabling scheme comprises:

receiving a request to display only a portion of the routing view of the cabling scheme.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the receiving a request to display only a portion of the routing view of the cabling scheme comprises:

receiving a request to display only a portion of the routing view of the cabling scheme within a single server rack.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the receiving a request to display only a portion of the routing view of the cabling scheme comprises:

receiving a request to display only portions of the routing view of the cabling scheme connecting a first server rack and a second server rack.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the receiving a request to display only a portion of the routing view of the cabling scheme comprises:

receiving a request to display only a portion of the routing view of the cabling scheme for a single cable.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the transmitting data representing the routing view of the cabling scheme to the display device comprises:

transmitting data representing only a portion of the routing view of the cabling scheme to the display device.

32. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a request to display a length of one or more cables in the cabling scheme; and

transmitting data representing the length of the one or more cables in the cabling scheme to the display device.