US 6,101,500 A · System and method for managing objects in a hierarchical data structure

Abstract

A system for managing objects in a hierarchial structure, the system being implemented preferably in a network management program. The system determines a composite index for a network object in the hierarchical structure from one or more parameters. In addition, the system determines composite indices for parent objects based on composite indices for child objects. Preferably, parameters are based on a scale common to all objects. Parameters are defined in the range of zero to one inclusively. Multiple composite indices for an object may be determined and combined with multiple indices of other objects at a same level of the hierarchical structure to determine multiple composite indices for parent objects. Alternatively, multiple composite indices may be combined to determine an overall state index for a parent object. Further, multiple composite indices may be determined for a root object of the hierarchical structure. The system determines a next index value in time for an object based on past values of the index and a presently calculated value. Preferably, the system implements a memory effect whereby high index values are maintained longer than low index values. The system presents an indicator associated with a network to a network administrator. The indicator preferably is a flag having a color and showing the composite index for the network object. The color of the flag indicates a level of one or more properties of the object, and the index represents a degree of confidence that the object is at that level.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A method for managing a plurality of objects arranged in a hierarchical structure, the method comprising the steps of:

a) combining a first and a second parameterized property both associated with a first object in accordance with a first predetermined manner to form a composite index of the first object, wherein the composite index represents a relative health of the first object and has a standardized value range;
b) combining a third and a fourth parameterized property both associated with a second object in accordance with a second predetermined manner to form a composite index of the second object wherein the composite index of the second object represents a relative health of the second object and has a same standardized value range;
and
c) combining the composite indices of the first and second objects to obtain a first parent composite index corresponding to a parent object, wherein the first and second objects are child objects of the parent object and the first parent composite index has a value range which is the same as that of the first and second object composite indices.

1 more element

A network management system comprising:

a network manager operable to retrieve at least one property value from one of a plurality of agents corresponding to a first object located in a hierarchical structure;
a data correlator constructed and arranged to compute a relative health of the object based upon the at least one property value wherein the relative health of the object is represented by a first index having a standardized value range, and wherein said data correlator is operable to combine the index with a second index for a second object to produce a composite index of a parent object, the composite index having a same standardized value range as that of the first and second indices;
and
a graphical user interface for displaying the relative health of the network management system.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method for managing objects in a hierarchical data structure

Life of this patent

System and method for managing objects in a hierarchical data structure

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims30