Network configuration and operation visualizing apparatus

A visualizing system for visualizing network configuration and operation, wherein logical configuration of said network is changeable by software interpreting a network control command, and said network includes

• a plurality of switches,
• a controller controlling, by a network control command, a data transfer path through said plurality of switches, and
• cache means for obtaining information related to status of operation of said network from said controller on a real-time basis, and for converting to and caching the information in a predetermined format;
• said visualizing system comprising:
• a display device;
• a cache database obtaining, on real-time basis, information related to information services applied from service nodes providing the information services on said network;
• log storage means for periodically receiving information related to the status of operation of said network from said cache means and adding and storing the information in said cache database;
• first drawing means for periodically reading said information related to the information services from said cache database and for drawing a first image on said display device, the first image representing a cooperation between information services provided on said network;
• and
• second drawing means for reading said information related to the status of operation of said network from said cache database in synchronization with said first drawing means periodically reading said information related to the information services from said cache database, and for drawing a second image on said display device, the second image representing what connection between which node and which switch on a physical network realizes said cooperation between the information services;
• wherein an application is formed by said cooperation between information services on the physical network and said network realized by said cooperation between the information services is defined independently from the physical network;
• wherein as a result, said first and second drawing means update drawings such that a change in cooperation between said information services and a change in a status of communication between the nodes and the switches of said physical network are displayed in synchronization with each other, using logs stored in said log storage means.