Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-03
2001-07-10
Bayerl, Raymond J. (Department: 2173)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S960000, C709S201000, C709S223000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06259448
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention is directed to a user interface for configuring and deploying resource “models” in a large distributed computer enterprise environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Enterprises now desire to place all of their computing resources on a computer network. To this end, it is known to connect computers in a large, geographically-dispersed network environment and to manage such an environment in a distributed manner. One such management framework consists of a server that manages a number of nodes, each of which has a local object database that stores object data specific to the local node. Each managed node typically includes a management framework, comprising a number of management routines, that is capable of a relatively large number (e.g., hundreds) of simultaneous network connections to remote machines. The framework manages hundreds of megabytes of local storage and can spawn many dozens of simultaneous processes to handle method requests from local or remote users. This amount of power, however, is quite costly. Each managed node requires upwards of a megabyte of local memory of disk plus a permanent TCP/IP connection. If a managed node sees heavy use, then such costs go up considerably. Moreover, as the number of managed nodes increases, the system maintenance problems also increase, as do the odds of a machine failure or other fault.
The problem is exacerbated in a typical enterprise as the node number rises. Of these nodes, only a small percentage are file servers, name servers, database servers, or anything but end-of-wire or “endpoint” machines. The majority of the network machines are simple personal computers (“PC's”) or workstations that see little management activity during a normal day. Nevertheless, the management routines on these machines are constantly poised, ready to handle dozens of simultaneous method invocations from dozens of widespread locations, invocations that rarely occur.
When networks get very large, individual machines tend to lose their identity. Nevertheless, machines of certain classes share certain problems. To manage such distributed systems, it has been proposed to “abstract” a given “resource” in the distributed network into a so-called “model” to facilitate administration. Examples of distributed system resources include computer and communications hardware, operating system software, application programs, systems of programs cooperating to provide a service, and the like. Managing resource models (as opposed to specific resources) provides significant advantages. Thus, for example, by enabling an administrator to characterize the type or class of machine that should receive a particular task, resource model-based management obviates naming a vast host of machines explicitly or the distribution of tasks to all machines within a domain.
Although resource model-based management is desirable, there remains a need to provide techniques to facilitate building and deployment of resource models within a distributed computing environment. This is the problem solved by the present invention.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of this invention to simplify configuration and deployment of resource models within a large, distributed computer network.
It is another primary object of this invention to build and deploy a given resource model into a distributed computer network environment preferably using a drag-and-drop protocol on a graphical user interface (GUI) of a computer.
It is yet another object of this invention to simplify the method by which a given resource model is associated with a given set of machines in a large distributed computer enterprise environment.
Yet another more general object of this invention is to simplify distributed computing network management.
A still further object of the invention is to implement a drag-and-drop protocol in a user interface of a management computer to instantiate a set of resource mapping rules on each of a set of given machines in the environment.
A more general object of this invention is to use a “drag-and-drop” protocol on a computer GUI to build and/or deploy predefined task objects or task group objects within a distributed computer network.
A still further object of this invention is to deploy predefined task objects to a number of locations in a network with a minimum of actions required by the administrator.
These and other object of the invention are provided in a method of deploying a resource model in a distributed computer network using a computer having a graphical user interface. The resource model generally has a number of properties associated therewith: a current state, a set of state rules, a set of controls, and a set of mapping rules. The state of the model describes the modeled resource by an attribute set. State rules define how changes to state attributes signify state changes of the modeled resource. Controls enable a user, through an appropriate user interface, to interact with and control the underlying resource to be manipulated. Mapping rules determine how a model is connected to an actual resource. Typically, mapping rules operate on a set of node identifiers defining a portion of the managed network (e.g., a geographic region) over which the model is to be deployed. The state rules and the controls comprise an “automation” that is deployed to a particular node in the network and is executable in a runtime environment resident there.
The present invention describes a method to deploy the resource model, which includes the automation. The method begins by having an administrator open up a deployment task window on the GUI. Using conventional menus and other conventional GUI components, the administrator selects a resource model and a set of distribution icons. Each distribution icon corresponds to a set of machines, for example. Alternatively, a particular set of machines may be “discovered” by the system with the distribution icon then being associated therewith. The icon representing the resource model, together with the set of distribution icons, are then displayed on the GUI. In a representative case, each distribution icon represents a set of given machines in the distributed computer network, e.g., machines located in one geographic area of the distributed enterprise environment.
The icon representing the resource model is then associated with a selected one of the distributed icons, preferably via a drag-and-drop protocol. When the resource model icon is dropped onto the selected distribution icon, the resource model is deployed in the network. Typically, deployment includes instantiating the resource model mapping rules at each machine in the set without further administrator or local machine involvement. One preferred technique for instantiating the resource model mapping rules uses the runtime environment at each receiving node.
According to a feature of the invention, a discovery process is implemented to discover at least one set of machines having a particular resource associated therewith. A distribution icon associated with the discovered set is then displayed. A given resource model is then instantiated on the discovered set of machines by dropping-and-dragging an icon representing the resource model onto the distribution icon. In response to this operation, the resource model is instantiated onto the set of machines.
The method is preferably implemented in a computer for use in managing the large distributed computer enterprise environment. The computer includes a processor, an operating system, a graphical user interface, and a data storage system for storing network configuration data for use in managing the distributed computer environment. The computer also includes a resource model deployment means comprising a number of functional components: a first program or routine for discovering at least one set of machines having a resource associated therewith, a second program or routine for associating the discovered set of machines with a distribution icon di
McNally Michael
Vetter Brian Jay
Bautista X. L.
Bayerl Raymond J.
International Business Machines - Corporation
LaBaw Jeffrey S.
Yee Duke W.
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