Map builder system and method for enabling generic interfacing of an application with a display map generation process in a management system

A computer-readable medium having a computer program, said computer program comprising:

• a topology data repository configured to receive and store object attribute data and object relationship data, said object relationship data defining a relationship between a first object and a second object;
• a data acquisition application configured to monitor a topology of objects and to update said object relationship data;
• a database having a plurality of mappings, each of said mappings respectively associated with a different expression;
• and
• a map builder interfaced with said topology data repository and said database, said map builder configured to receive said object relationship data, to compare said object relationship data to an expression associated with one of said mappings, to retrieve said one mapping when said expression associated with said one mapping corresponds with said topological data, and to produce a map edit request based on said retrieved mapping,
• wherein said retrieved mapping corresponds to a relationship symbol.

A map builder method for creating a display map pertaining to a topology of objects, comprising the steps of:

• maintaining presentation information in a presentation mapping database, said presentation information including mappings, each of said plurality of mappings defining a parameter of an object feature;
• defining a relationship between a first object and a second object via topological data;
• selecting a first mapping within said presentation information based on said relationship;
• displaying a first relationship symbol between a symbol representing said first object and a symbol representing said second object, said first relationship symbol based on said first mapping;
• and
• dynamically updating said presentation information.

A map builder method for creating a display map of a hierarchical topology of objects, comprising the steps of:

• representing topological data in a predefined schema that defines object attributes and object relationships including containment, connectivity, and dependency;
• maintaining a database having a plurality of entries, said entries including mappings and expressions, each of said expressions defining whether a respective one of said entries corresponds to said topological data, each of said entries respectively including one of said mappings;
• receiving changes in said topological data;
• comparing said topological data to said expressions;
• selecting one of said entries based on said comparing step;
• retrieving one of said mappings from said one entry selected in said selecting step;
• and
• producing an updated display map based on said one mapping retrieved in said retrieving step.