System for managing task that is for processing to computer system and that is based on user operation and method for displaying information related to task of that type

• US 9,286,246 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2010
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Saito, Takeshi, Kakeda, Tomoaki, Ito, Eitaro, Nogami, Daisuke, Suzuki, Junko
• Primary Examiner(s): Sax, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOI, DAVID E
• Application Number:
  US13/060,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20120066633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,013 Days
• Field of Search: 715/707, 715/772, 345/204, 345/426
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/302 where the computing system component is a software system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3055 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the status of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring if the computing system is on, off, available, not available error or fault processing without redundancy G06F11/0703; error detection or correction by redundancy in data representation G06F11/08; error detection or correction by redundancy in operation G06F11/14; error detection or correction by redundancy in hardware G06F11/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/324 Display of status information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/34 Recording or statistical evaluation of computer activity, e.g. of down time, of input/output operation ; Recording or statistical evaluation of user activity, e.g. usability assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/00 Interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units interface circuits for specific input/output devices G06F3/00 ; multiprogram control therefor G06F9/46; multiprocessor systems G06F15/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/10 Program control for peripheral devices G06F13/14 - G06F13/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2206/1008 Graphical user interface [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0631 by allocating resources to storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0653 Monitoring storage devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

The display computer displays a management screen having a first area and a second area. In the first area, information related to a computer system, and an input object for a work operation that is a user operation for registering a task of a processing to a computer system into a management computer or an object for displaying the input object are displayed. In the second area, a summary view related to at least one task registered into the management computer is displayed. The summary view has a status object for each status of task, the status object includes an object indicating a status and a value indicating a number of tasks of the status. When the management computer detects a modification of a status of each task that has been registered, the display computer updates a value of a number of tasks in the second area.

Claims

1. A display method implemented by a management system managing a computer system, comprising:

(a) displaying a management screen including;

(a1) a first area including computer system information related to the computer system, and including an input object for registering management tasks, which correspond to specified processings that the computer system is instructed to perform, into the management system or an object for displaying the input object for registering the management tasks, which correspond to specified processings that the computer system is instructed to perform; and

(a2) a second area which is separate from and smaller than the first area, and which is displayed without being affected by an operation of the first area, and which includes;

a number of management tasks of which a task status is a waiting status, and an object indicating the waiting status, wherein all management tasks having the waiting status are management tasks for which execution has not yet commenced;

a number of the management tasks of which the task status is a running status, and an object indicating the running status; and

a number of the management tasks of which the task status is a finished status, and an object indicating the finished status,

(b) in accordance with a user operation to the input object, registering a new management task of which the task status is the waiting status, incrementing the number of the management tasks of which the task status is the waiting status, accepting a new user operation to the first area before finishing the new management task, identifying a management task of the management tasks of which the task status is the waiting status that has the oldest update time, changing the task status of the identified management task having the oldest update time to the running status, and executing the identified management task having the oldest update time, and

(c) detecting a management task of which the task status is changed from one of the waiting status, the running status, and the finished status to another one of the waiting status, the running status, and the finished status; and

(d) according to (c), changing the number of the management tasks that corresponds to the task status to which the task status is changed;

wherein a Web browser and a management client program is executed by the management system so that the displaying of (a) is performed, the management client program is a Rich Internet Application (RIA),

wherein the method further comprises;

(e) displaying a second input object on a front of the first area in accordance with the user operation to the input object before the registration of management task in (b), and causing the management screen to be in a disable status;

(f) receiving input information according to the second input object, for the registration of the management task in (b); and

(g) closing the second input object and canceling the disabled status of the management screen,

wherein said registration of the new management task in (b) is performed further in accordance with the input information according to the second input object,

wherein during the closing of the second input object in (g), the second input object is moved toward the object indicating the wait status, with a size of the second input object being reduced smoothly, and

wherein the management tasks are storage operation tasks for a storage system included in the computer system, where the storage operation tasks include at least one of;

(1) creating a logical volume;

(2) allocating a logical volume that has been created to a host;

(3) associating a pool storage area to a virtual volume; and

(4) associating a real volume with a virtual volume.

2. A display method according to claim 1,

wherein (d) is processed with:

(d1) highlighting the number of the management tasks that corresponds to the task status to which the task status is changed, or the object indicating the task status to which the task status is changed, in part or all; and

(d2) canceling the highlighting in case that a certain period of time being elapsed from the highlighting even if there are no specific user operations to the management screen after the highlighting.

3. A display method according to claim 1,

wherein the second area includes an object indicating an alert indicating a hardware failure of the computer system occurred, and

wherein the method further comprises:

(h) in case that a new alert is detected, highlighting the object indicating the alert until an user operation to the object indicating the alert is performed.

4. A display method according to claim 1,

wherein the management system identifies a user using the management screen,

wherein the first area displays management task information about the registered management task registered by the user and other user, and

wherein the registered management task to be referred by (b), (c), and (d) is not registered by the user.

5. A display method according to claim 1,

wherein the second area further includes a number of the management tasks of which the task status is an error status, and an object indicating the error status.

6. A display method according to claim 1,

wherein the first area further includes a sub area including the computer system information, and tabs, and

wherein the computer system update the sub area according to a selection of the tabs.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium for a management system managing a computer system, storing a computer program causing the management system to:

(a) display a management screen including;

(a1) a first area including computer system information related to the computer system, and including an input object for registering management tasks, which correspond to specified processings that the computer system is instructed to perform, into the management system or an object for displaying the input object for registering management tasks, which correspond to specified processings that the computer system is instructed to perform; and

(a2) a second area which is separate from and smaller than the first area, and which is displayed without being affected by an operation of the first area, and which includes;

a number of the management tasks of which a task status is a waiting status, and an object indicating the waiting status, wherein all management tasks having the waiting status are management tasks for which execution has not yet commenced;

a number of the management tasks of which the task status is a running status, and an object indicating the running status; and

a number of the management tasks of which the task status is a finished status, and an object indicating the finished status,

(b) in accordance with a user operation to the input object, register a new management task of which the task status is the waiting status, incrementing the number of the management tasks of which the task status is the waiting status, accepting a new user operation to the first area before finishing the new management task, identifying a management task of the management tasks of which the task status is the waiting status that has the oldest update time, changing the task status of the identified management task having the oldest update time to the running status, and executing the identified management task having the oldest update time, and

(c) detect a management task of which the task status is changed from one of the waiting status, the running status, and the finished status to another one of the waiting status, the running status, and the finished status; and

(d) according to (c), change the number of the management tasks that corresponds to the task status to which the task status is changed;

wherein a Web browser and a management client program is executed by the management system so that the displaying of (a) is performed, the management client program is a Rich Internet Application (RIA),

wherein the computer program further causing the management system to;

(e) display a second input object on a front of the first area in accordance with the user operation to the input object before the registration of management task in (b), and cause the management screen to be in a disable status;

(f) receive input information according to the second input object, for the registration of the management task in (b); and

(g) close the second input object and canceling the disabled status of the management screen,

wherein said registration of the new management task in (b) is performed further in accordance with the input information according to the second input object,

wherein during the closing of the second input object in (g), the second input object is moved toward the object indicating the wait status, with a size of the second input object being reduced smoothly, and

wherein the management tasks are storage operation tasks for a storage system included in the computer system, where the storage operation tasks include at least one of;

(1) creating a logical volume;

(2) allocating a logical volume that has been created to a host;

(3) associating a pool storage area to a virtual volume; and

(4) associating a real volume with a virtual volume.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium for a management system managing a computer system, storing a computer program according to claim 7,

wherein (d) is processed with:

(d1) highlighting the number of the management tasks that corresponds to the task status to which the task status is changed, or the object indicating the task status to which the task status is changed, in part or all; and

(d2) canceling the highlighting in case that a certain period of time being elapsed from the highlighting even if there are no specific user operations to the management screen after the highlighting.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium for a management system managing a computer system, storing a computer program according to claim 7,

wherein the second area includes an object indicating an alert indicating a hardware failure of the computer system occurred, and

wherein the computer program further causes the management system to:

(h) in case that a new alert is detected, highlight the object indicating the alert until an user operation to the object indicating the alert is performed.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium for a management system managing a computer system, storing a computer program according to claim 7,

wherein the management system identifies a user using the management screen,

wherein the first area displays management task information about the registered management task registered by the user and other user, and

wherein the registered management task to be referred by (b), (c), and (d) is not registered by the user.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium for a management system managing a computer system, storing a computer program according to claim 7,

wherein the second area further includes a number of the management tasks of which the task status is an error status, and an object indicating the error status.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium for a management system managing a computer system, storing a computer program according to claim 7,

wherein the first area further includes a sub area including the computer system information, and tabs, and

wherein the computer system update the sub area according to a selection of the tabs.

13. A management system for managing a computer system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one storage resource storing a computer program causing the processor to;

(a) display a management screen including;

(a1) a first area including computer system information related to the computer system, and including an input object for registering management tasks, which correspond to specified processings that the computer system is instructed to perform, into the management system or an object for displaying the input object for registering management tasks, which correspond to specified processings that the computer system is instructed to perform; and

(a2) a second area which is separate from and smaller than the first area, which is displayed without being affected by an operation of the first area, and which includes;

a number of the management tasks of which a task status is a waiting status, and an object indicating the waiting status, wherein all management tasks having the waiting status are management tasks for which execution has not yet commenced;

a number of the management tasks of which the task status is a running status, and an object indicating the running status; and

a number of the management tasks of which the task status is a finished status, and an object indicating the finished status,

(b) in accordance with a user operation to the input object, register a new management task of which the task status is the waiting status, incrementing the number of the management tasks of which the task status is the waiting status, accepting a new user operation to the first area before finishing the new management task, identifying a management task of the management tasks of which the task status is the waiting status that has the oldest update time, changing the task status of the identified management task having the oldest update time to the running status, and executing the identified management task having the oldest update time, and

(c) detect a management task of which the task status is changed from one of the waiting status, the running status, and the finished status to another one of the waiting status, the running status, and the finished status; and

(d) according to (c), change the number of the management tasks that corresponds to the task status to which he task status is changed;

wherein a Web browser and a management client program is executed by the management system so that the displaying of (a) is performed, the management client program is a Rich Internet Application (RIA),

wherein the computer program further causing the processor to;

(e) display a second input object on a front of the first area in accordance with the user operation to the input object before the registration of management task in (b), and causing the management screen to be in a disable status;

(f) receive input information according to the second input object, for the registration of the management task in (b); and

(g) close the second input object and canceling the disabled status of the management screen,

wherein said registration of the new management task in (b) is performed further in accordance with the input information according to the second input object,

wherein during the closing of the second input object in (g), the second input object is moved toward the object indicating the wait status, with a size of the second input object being reduced smoothly, and

wherein the management tasks are storage operation tasks for a storage system included in the computer system, where the storage operation tasks include at least one of;

(1) creating a logical volume;

(2) allocating a logical volume that has been created to a host;

(3) associating a pool storage area to a virtual volume; and

(4) associating a real volume with a virtual volume.

14. The management system for managing a computer system according to claim 13,

wherein (d) is processed with:

(d1) highlighting the number of the management tasks that corresponds to the task status to which the task status is changed, or the object indicating the task status to which the task status is changed, in part or all; and

(d2) canceling the highlighting in case that a certain period of time being elapsed from the highlighting even if there are no specific user operations to the management screen after the highlighting.

15. The management system for managing a computer system according to claim 13,

wherein the second area includes an object indicating an alert indicating a hardware failure of the computer system occurred, and

wherein the computer program further causes the processor to:

(h) in case that a new alert is detected, highlight the object indicating the alert until an user operation to the object indicating the alert is performed.

16. The management system for managing a computer system according to claim 13,

wherein the management system identifies a user using the management screen,

wherein the first area displays management task information about the registered management task registered by the user and other user, and

wherein the registered management task to be referred by (b), (c), and (d) is not registered by the user.

17. The management system for managing a computer system according to claim 13,

wherein the second area further includes a number of the management tasks of which the task status is an error status, and an object indicating the error status.

18. The management system for managing a computer system according to claim 13,

wherein the first area further includes a sub area including the computer system information, and tabs, and

wherein the computer system update the sub area according to a selection of the tabs.