Providing A User With A Graphics Based IDE For Developing Software For Distributed Computing Systems

An apparatus for providing a user with a graphics based integrated development environment (‘IDE’) for developing software for distributed computing systems, the apparatus comprising a computer processor and a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions capable of:

• providing to the user a graphical representation of a topology of a distributed computing system for which the user is to develop a software application, including developing the topology of the distributed computing system;
• receiving, through the user's invocation of a graphical user interface (‘GUI’) element, an identification of a system component upon which a portion of the application is to execute;
• providing a text editor for receiving from the user computer program instructions comprising the portion of the application that is to execute upon the identified system component;
• inserting, without user intervention as part of the portion of the application that is to execute upon the identified system component, predetermined computer program instructions configured to support the identified system component;
• receiving, through the text editor, the portion of the application that is to execute upon the identified system component including the predetermined computer program instructions configured to support the identified system component;
• storing, the computer program instructions comprising the portion of the application that is to execute upon the identified system component, at a user specified location within the application;
• receiving, through an invocation of a GUI element, an instruction to establish data communications between at least two system components;
• identifying, without user intervention in dependence upon the topology, a data communications path between the at least two system components;
• and
• inserting into the application, without user intervention, computer program instructions supporting data communications between the at least two system components through the identified data communications path.

A computer program product for providing a user with a graphics based integrated development environment (‘IDE’) for developing software for distributed computing systems, the computer program product disposed in a computer readable storage medium, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a signal, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions capable of:

• providing to the user a graphical representation of a topology of a distributed computing system for which the user is to develop a software application, including developing the topology of the distributed computing system;
• receiving, through the user's invocation of a graphical user interface (‘GUI’) element, an identification of a system component upon which a portion of the application is to execute;
• providing a text editor for receiving from the user computer program instructions comprising the portion of the application that is to execute upon the identified system component;
• inserting, without user intervention as part of the portion of the application that is to execute upon the identified system component, predetermined computer program instructions configured to support the identified system component;
• receiving, through the text editor, the portion of the application that is to execute upon the identified system component including the predetermined computer program instructions configured to support the identified system component;
• storing, the computer program instructions comprising the portion of the application that is to execute upon the identified system component, at a user specified location within the application;
• receiving, through an invocation of a GUI element, an instruction to establish data communications between at least two system components;
• identifying, without user intervention in dependence upon the topology, a data communications path between the at least two system components;
• and
• inserting into the application, without user intervention, computer program instructions supporting data communications between the at least two system components through the identified data communications path.