Heirarchical GUI representation for web based network management applications

An apparatus that can display a graphical user interface, said graphical user interface capable of comprising:

• a) a resource tree window that presents a perspective of a networking hardware box architecture, said resource tree having:
• i) a card resource for a line card that is inserted into said networking hardware box, said card resource being expanded so as to display:
• ii) a line resource for a networking line on said line card that is represented by said expanded card resource, said line resource being expanded so as to display:
• iii) a port resource for a port on said networking line that is represented by said expanded line resource;
• b) a maintenance menu that appeared in response to said port resource being clicked on with a first button of said mouse, said maintenance menu further comprising a menu selection option that triggers the execution of a task that is performed upon said port that is represented by said port resource that was clicked on;
• and
• c) a configuration window that does not overlap said resource tree, said configuration window further comprising a parameter field for said port that is represented by said port resource that was clicked on, said parameter field having appeared in response to clicking on said port resource with a second button of said mouse, said maintenance menu capable of being dragged over said parameter field.

An apparatus that can display a graphical user interface, said graphical user interface capable of comprising:

• a) a resource tree window that presents a perspective of a networking hardware box architecture, said resource tree having:
• i) a card resource for a card that is inserted into said networking hardware box, said card resource being expanded so as to display:
• ii) a line resource for a networking line on said line card that is represented by said expanded card resource, said line resource being expanded so as to display:
• iii) a port resource for a port on said networking line that is represented by said expanded line resource, said port resource being expanded so as to display:
• iv) a channel resource for a channel on said port that is represented by said expanded port;
• b) a maintenance menu that appeared in response to said channel resource being clicked on with a first button of a mouse, said maintenance menu further comprising a menu selection option that triggers the execution of a task that is performed upon said channel that is represented by said channel resource that was clicked on;
• and
• c) a configuration window that does not overlap said resource tree, said configuration window further comprising a parameter field for said channel that is represented by said channel resource that was clicked on, said parameter field having appeared in response to clicking on said channel resource with a second button of said mouse, said maintenance menu capable of being dragged over said parameter field.

A method, comprising:

• a displaying within a graphical user interface (GUI) a resource tree window that presents a perspective of a networking hardware box architecture, said resource tree having:
• i) a card resource for a line card that is inserted into said networking hardware box, said card resource being expanded so as to display:
• ii) a line resource for a networking line on said line card that is represented by said expanded card resource;
• b) displaying within said GUI a maintenance menu that appeared in response to said line resource being clicked on with a first button of said mouse, said maintenance menu further comprising a menu selection option that triggers the execution of a task that is performed upon said networking line that is represented by said line resource that was clicked on;
• c) displaying within said GUI a configuration window that does not overlap said resource tree, said configuration window further comprising a parameter field for said networking line that is represented by said line resource that was clicked on, said parameter field having appeared in response to clicking on said line resource with a second button of said mouse;
• and
• d) dragging said maintenance menu over said parameter field.

A machine readable medium having stored thereon instructions which when executed by a digital processing system cause said digital processing system to perform a method, said method comprising:

• a) displaying within a graphical user interface (GUI) a resource tree window that presents a perspective of a networking hardware box architecture, said resource tree having:
• i) a card resource for a line card that is inserted into said networking hardware box, said card resource being expanded so as to display:
• ii) a line resource for a networking line on said line card that is represented by said expanded card resource;
• b) displaying within said GUI a maintenance menu that appeared in response to said line resource being clicked on with a first button of said mouse, said maintenance menu further comprising a menu selection option that triggers the execution of a task that is performed upon said networking line that is represented by said line resource that was clicked on;
• and
• c) displaying within said GUI a configuration window that does not overlap said resource tree, said configuration window further comprising a parameter field for said networking line that is represented by said line resource that was clicked on, said parameter field having appeared in response to clicking on said line resource with a second button of said mouse, said maintenance menu capable of being dragged over said parameter field.

An apparatus that can display a graphical user interface, said graphical user interface capable of comprising:

• a) a resource tree window that presents a perspective of a networking hardware box architecture, said resource tree having:
• i) a card resource for a line card inserted into said networking hardware box;
• b) a maintenance menu that appeared in response to said card resource being clicked on with a first button of a mouse, said maintenance menu further comprising a menu selection option that triggers the execution of a task that is performed upon said line card that is represented by said card resource that was clicked on;
• and
• c) a configuration window that does not overlap said resource tree, said configuration window further comprising a parameter field for said line card that is represented by said card resource that was clicked on, said parameter field having appeared in response to clicking on said card resource with a second button of said mouse, said maintenance menu capable of being dragged over said parameter field.

A machine readable medium having stored thereon instructions which when executed by a digital processing system cause said digital processing system to perform a method, said method comprising:

• a) displaying a resource tree window that presents a perspective of a networking hardware box architecture, said resource tree having:
• i) a card resource for a line card inserted into said networking hardware box;
• b) displaying a maintenance menu in response to said card resource being clicked on with a first button of a mouse, said maintenance menu further comprising a menu selection option that triggers the execution of a task that is performed upon said line card that is represented by said card resource that was clicked on;
• and
• c) displaying a configuration window that does not overlap said resource tree, said configuration window further comprising a parameter field for said line card that is represented by said card resource that was clicked on, said parameter field having appeared in response to clicking on said card resource with a second button of said mouse, said maintenance menu capable of being dragged over said parameter field.