Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1997-07-08
2001-02-27
Sax, Steven (Department: 2773)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06195097
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to administration and management of computer resources in a distributed computer network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The burdens on computer network administrators have been rapidly growing both in volume and in complexity. Chief among these burdens is the need for corporate administrators to manage their so-called “Distributed Computing Environment” cells. DCE is a known distributed environment that has been widely implemented using software available from the Open Systems Foundation (OSF). In a distributed computing environment, a group of machines is typically referred to as a “domain.” An OSF DCE domain is called a “cell.” A DCE cell is often a complex environment involving hundreds of machines in many locations.
DCE offers many management challenges to the network administrator. The management tasks are quite broad in scope, ranging from defining new accounts to retrieving the status of DCE servers. In the past, there has no been convenient user interface by which the administrator can perform these various management tasks in an efficient, consistent and reliable manner. For example, to define a DCE account, the administrator must create a DCE principal, add the principal to a group, add the principal to an organization, and then finally create the account. This operation requires access to multiple display menus and entry of numerous commands. AS another example, it is important for the network administrator to be aware of the current status of all DCE servers in the environment. Known DCE management interfaces do not provide simple graphical presentation of server status, and thus administrators cannot easily retrieve information about them so as to facilitate and execute management actions. As a result, known DCE management schemes presently implement complex, text-based management interfaces that include unnecessary information that complicates the efficient management of DCE cells.
The present invention addresses this important problem.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of the invention to simplify the administration and management of DCE cells.
It is another primary object of the invention to provide for graphical-based administration of a DCE cell.
It is a further primary object to overlay a GUI-based interface over a command line interface by exploiting the known relationships between underlying objects and actions in the CLI interface.
It is a more general object of the invention to allow Web browser-based administration of a set of networked computers connecting in a distributed environment.
Yet another more specific object of this invention is to provide for DCE Web-based administration of a cell to allow network administrators to manage DCE cells from any secure World Wide Web or Internet client machine.
It is another object of the invention to enhance the consistency, simplicity and portability of DCE cell management and thereby enable network administrators to easily retrieve information on a DCE cell and execute management actions against such information.
Another more specific object of this invention is to provide a streamlined graphical user interface for DCE cell management to thereby reduce information overload during network administration.
Still another object of the invention is to take advantage of Web browser “frames” to present a network administrator with complementary input and output information between which the administrator may navigate to effect different management actions.
Another object is to enable the network administrator to easily determine the status of any DCE server in the environment.
The present invention takes advantage of a known Web browser mechanism and existing DCE interfaces to facilitate and simplify management of DCE cells. In the preferred embodiment, administration may be performed from any secure Web browser acting as a client. Management data is typically supported on a target Web server. at the browser, CGI scripts are used to dynamic generate HTML (hypertext markup language) pages based on the network administrator's selections and the current state and defined objects in the DCE cell. The result is a robust and efficient Web-based DCE management scheme that provides significant advantages over the simple text-based and other known interfaces of the prior art.
The Web-based interface design of the invention is hierarchical, starting with a logon page that allows the administrator to log into the cell that includes the target Web server. After logon, the administrator proceeds to a DCE Web Administration main menu from which a number of management actions may be launched including DCE command line operations (using the DCECP function), server status inquiries, and “fast path” tasks. Hyperlink references are provided to facilitate navigation options. From the DCECP Commands hyperlink, the administrator proceeds to a table display of the main functions available in DCECP, which include registry groupings of principals, groups, organizations and accounts. Management functions are facilitated using a dual frame display whenever information is input by the administrator in one frame while management data is simultaneous output in another frame. Preferably, form-based information is received in the first frame of the display. This frame technique maximizes interaction and feedback to the administrator, who would otherwise have to switch back and forth between the forms page and the output page to analyze the impact of administrative actions using the DCECP command functions.
The upper frame of the interface is preferably sub-divided into a number of display areas. In a command line interface, there are predetermined relationships between underlying objects and actions that make up the interface. A first display area of the upper frame of the invention displays a graphical representation of the CLI object/action hierarchy. Hyperlinks associated with the elements in the representation present the administrator with simple navigation options. A second display area includes a form by which the user types in, selects and/or checks information associated with a particular object/action relationship. A third display area may be used to display control elements. According to the invention, the user may navigate (within the first display area) between actions associated with the same object, in which case the interface preferably retains in the second display area a last context selected by the user. The user may also navigate within the first display area) to new objects, in which case the interface preferably refreshes the second display area as needed to illustrate a new context between the new object and its associated actions.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects and features of the present invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention as will be described. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment.
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“Object-Oriented User Administration”, IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, May 1992, vol. 34, No. 12, pp. 461-465.
Cohen Richard Jay
London Shrader Theodore Jack
Burwell Joseph R.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Judson David
LaBaw Jeffrey S.
Sax Steven
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