Network management system using virtual reality techniques to display and simulate navigation to network components

An apparatus of interconnected programmed computers comprising:

• a visualization workstation computer including processing instructions for:
• displaying real-time multi-dimensional views of a plurality of components of a networked computer system;
• controlling a relevant component, including identifying and simulating navigation to the relevant component in a virtual-reality environment responsive to navigation tools and further including displaying the status and configuration of the relevant component;
• adjusting the operation of the relevant component;
• monitoring the relevant component, including displaying an abnormality of the relevant component and providing details of the abnormality in order to facilitate identification, diagnosis and correction of the abnormality by executing manipulation and control routines;
• and
• filtering data associated with the relevant component being monitored according to a preset threshold parameter;
• an object respository connected to the workstation computer, the object repository being populated with information associated with each of the plurality of components and operative to receive requests and commands from the workstation computer and to send event notifications to the workstation computer;
• a management application computer contacted to the object repository to send event notifications to the object repository and to receive requests and commands from the object repository, the management application computer being connected to the workstation computer to send and to receive commands and send notifications;
• and
• a component of a networked computer system, the component including an agent software system, the agent software system including processing instructions for monitoring the operation of the component, the component being in communication with the workstation computer to receive requests and commands from the management application computer and to send event notifications to the management application computer;
• the workstation computer, object repository, management application computer and component of the networked computer system operatively coupled to facilitate management of comprehensively integrated heterogeneous systems, and components thereof, from the workstation computer.

An apparatus of interconnected programmed computers comprising:

• a visualization workstation computer including processing instructions for:
• displaying real-time multi-dimensional views of a plurality of components of a networked computer system employing color coded alerting to identify a component experiencing an abnormality;
• controlling a relevant component, including identifying and simulating navigation to the relevant component in a virtual-reality environment responsive to navigation tools and further including displaying the status and configuration of the relevant component;
• adjusting the operation of the relevant component;
• and
• monitoring the relevant component, including displaying an abnormality of the relevant component and providing details of the abnormality in order to facilitate identification, diagnosis and correction of the abnormality by executing manipulation and control routines;
• an object respository connected to the workstation computer, the object repository being populated with information associated with each of the plurality of components and operative to receive requests and commands from the workstation computer and to send event notifications to the workstation computer;
• a management application computer contacted to the object repository to send event notifications to the object repository and to receive requests and commands from the object repository, the management application computer being connected to the workstation computer to send and to receive commands and send notifications;
• and
• a component of a networked computer system, the component including an agent software system, the agent software system including processing instructions for monitoring the operation of the component, the component being in communication with the workstation computer to receive requests and commands from the management application computer and to send event notifications to the management application computer;
• the workstation computer, object repository, management application computer and component of the networked computer system operatively coupled to facilitate management of comprehensively integrated heterogeneous systems, and components thereof, from the workstation computer.