# US 7,519,700 B1 · Method and system for topological navigation of hierarchical data groups > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,519,700 B1 - Document ID: US7519700B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 11/061,978 - Filed: 2005-02-18 - Granted: 2009-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2005-02-18 - Assignees: OPNET Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Joe Sapsford; Han Wen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7519700B1 ## CPC - H04L 43/00: Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks - G06F 16/9027: {Trees} - G06F 16/904: Browsing; Visualisation therefor (for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957) - H04L 41/0893: Assignment of logical groups to network elements - H04L 41/22: comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI] - H04L 43/028: by filtering - H04L 43/045: for graphical visualisation of monitoring data - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A system and method to visually navigate hierarchical data groups are provided. If a user wishes to graphically view network traffic for a particular business group of network nodes, a network topology navigation tool may be provided to display to the user such information that is relevant to the selected business group and the corresponding hierarchy level. The user may also be permitted to access more detailed connection information through appropriate drill-downs. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system to visually navigate hierarchical data groups, the system including: a network management console comprising, an extractor processing subsystem configured to receive a request to retrieve network traffic information relating to logical groups of network nodes connected to a selected logical group of such nodes having a selected level of hierarchy and a topology tool processing subsystem configured to retrieve information from those ones of the connected logical groups relevant to the selected level of hierarchy wherein the topology tool processing subsystem is further configured to, filter the connected logical groups according to respective levels of hierarchy thereof, wherein the topological tool processing subsystem includes a filter configured to, identify the selected logical group as a relevant logical group; identify those of the connected logical groups as relevant logical groups if a logical group container associated with a connected logical group of interest is the same as a logical group container associated with the selected logical group and a level of hierarchy for the connected logical group of interest is the same as the level of hierarchy for the selected logical group; identify a top level container for the connected logical group of interest as a relevant logical group if the logical group container associated with the connected logical group of interest is different from the logical group container associated with the selected logical group, and identify those of the connected logical groups as relevant logical groups if a connected logical group is not a member of any logical group container. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein a first one of the connected logical groups is characterized by a plurality of IP addresses. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of IP addresses includes one or more ranges of IP addresses. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein a first one of the connected logical groups is a logical group container including one or more logical groups of network nodes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further including a tree navigator configured to present a user with a representation of a hierarchy of the logical groups of network nodes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the topology tool further configured to: automatically discover the connected logical groups. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, further including a traffic flow database configured to store the network traffic information for the connected logical groups. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the topology tool is further configured to display graphically the relevant logical groups and network traffic flows between the selected logical group and the relevant logical groups. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the topology tool is further configured to display one or more objects included in a target logical group from the displayed logical groups, responsive to a cursor control operation associated with the displayed logical group. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the topology tool further includes a drilldown component to: receive a request for a drilldown associated with a target logical group; display drilldown data for the target logical group according to a drilldown mode. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein: the drilldown mode is a first drilldown mode; and the drilldown data includes graphical representation of members of the target logical group, and graphical representation of connections between the members of the target logical group. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein: the drilldown mode is a second drilldown mode; and the drilldown data includes graphical representation of members of the target logical group, graphical representation of connections between the members of the target logical group, graphical representation of connections between the members of the target logical group and the displayed logical groups, and graphical representation of connections between the members of the target logical group and other logical groups. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein: the drilldown mode is a third drilldown mode; and the drilldown data includes graphical representation of only such members of the target logical group that have network traffic with the displayed logical groups, graphical representation of connections between the displayed logical groups that are not the target logical group, and graphical representation of connections between such members and the displayed logical groups. ### Claim 14 A method to visually navigate hierarchical data groups, the method including: receiving at a computer system a request to retrieve network traffic information associated with logical groups of network nodes connected to a selected logical group of such nodes having a selected level of hierarchy; and retrieving such information for those of the connected logical groups relevant to the selected level of hierarchy, wherein the retrieving includes, filtering the logical groups so connected according to respective levels of hierarchy thereof, wherein the filtering includes, identifying the selected logical group as a relevant logical group, identifying those of the connected logical groups as relevant logical groups if a logical group container associated with a connected logical group of interest is the same as a logical group container associated with the selected logical group and a level of hierarchy for the connected logical group of interest is the same as the level of hierarchy for the selected logical group, identifying a top level container for the connected logical group of interest as a relevant logical group if the logical group container associated with the connected logical group of interest is different from the logical group container associated with the selected logical group, and identifying those of the connected logical groups as relevant logical groups if a connected logical group is not a member of any logical group container. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein a first logical group from the connected logical groups is characterized by a plurality of IP addresses. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of IP addresses includes one or more ranges of IP addresses. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the first one of the connected logical groups is a logical group container including one or more logical groups of network nodes. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the receiving of the request includes presenting a user with a representation of a hierarchy of logical groups of network nodes. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the retrieving of the relevant logical groups includes: automatically discovering logical groups connected to the selected logical groups. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the discovering of the connected logical groups includes interrogating a traffic flow database. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further including displaying graphically the selected logical group, relevant logical groups, and network traffic flow between the selected logical group and the relevant logical groups. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further including, responsive to a cursor control operation associated with a target logical group from the displayed logical groups, displaying one or more objects included in the target logical group. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further including: receiving a request for a drilldown associated with a target logical group; displaying drilldown data for the target logical group according to a drilldown mode. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, including: selecting a first drill mode; and displaying graphical representation of members of the target logical group, and graphical representation of connections between the members of the target logical group. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, including: selecting a second drill mode; and displaying graphical representation of members of the target logical group, graphical representation of connections between the members of the target logical group, graphical representation of connections between the members of the target logical group and the displayed logical groups, and graphical representation of connections between the members of the target logical group and other logical groups. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, including: selecting a third drill mode; and displaying graphical representation of only such members of the target logical group that have network traffic with the displayed logical groups, graphical representation of connections between the displayed logical groups that are not the target logical group, and graphical representation of connections between such members and the displayed logical groups. ### Claim 27 A user interface including: a display configured to present, a hierarchy tree area configured to permit a user to select, using a cursor control device, a graphical representation of a logical group of network nodes having a selected level of hierarchy, an activation control configured to permit the user to request retrieval of network traffic information for logical groups of such nodes connected to the selected logical group, wherein the retrieving includes, filtering the logical groups so connected according to respective levels of hierarchy thereof, wherein the filtering includes, identifying the selected logical group as a relevant logical group, identifying those of the connected logical groups as relevant logical groups if a logical group container associated with a connected logical group of interest is the same as a logical group container associated with the selected logical group and a level of hierarchy for the connected logical group of interest is the same as the level of hierarchy for the selected logical group, identifying a top level container for the connected logical group of interest as a relevant logical group if the logical group container associated with the connected logical group of interest is different from the logical group container associated with the selected logical group, and identifying those of the connected logical groups as relevant logical groups if a connected logical group is not a member of any logical group container, and a graphical navigation area configured to display graphical representation of those of the connected logical groups relevant to the selected level of hierarchy. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The user interface of claim 27 wherein the graphical navigation area is further configured to display members of those of the logical groups responsive to a cursor control operation by the user. ### Claim 29 A machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon data representing sets of instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to: receive a request network traffic information relating to logical groups of network nodes connected to a selected logical group of such nodes having a selected level of hierarchy; and retrieve information from those ones of the connected logical groups relevant to the selected level of hierarchy, wherein the retrieving further causes the machine to, filter the logical groups so connected according to respective levels of hierarchy thereof, wherein the filtering further causes the machine to, identify the selected logical group as a relevant logical group, identify those of the connected logical groups as relevant logical groups if a logical group container associated with a connected logical group of interest is the same as a logical group container associated with the selected logical group and a level of hierarchy for the connected logical group of interest is the same as the level of hierarchy for the selected logical group, identify a top level container for the connected logical group of interest as a relevant logical group if the logical group container associated with the connected logical group of interest is different from the logical group container associated with the selected logical group, and identify those of the connected logical groups as relevant logical groups if a connected logical group is not a member of any logical group container. ### Claim 30 An apparatus including: means for receiving at a computer system a request to retrieve network traffic information associated with logical groups of network nodes connected to a selected logical group of such nodes having a selected level of hierarchy, wherein said means for receiving includes memory; and means for retrieving such information for those of the connected logical groups relevant to the selected level of hierarchy, wherein the retrieving means further includes, means for filtering the logical groups so connected according to respective levels of hierarchy thereof, wherein the filtering means further includes, first identifying means for identifying the selected logical group as a relevant logical group, second identifying means for identifying those of the connected logical groups as relevant logical groups if a logical group container associated with a connected logical group of interest is the same as a logical group container associated with the selected logical group and a level of hierarchy for the connected logical group of interest is the same as the level of hierarchy for the selected logical group, third identifying means for identifying a top level container for the connected logical group of interest as a relevant logical group if the logical group container associated with the connected logical group of interest is different from the logical group container associated with the selected logical group, and fourth identifying means for identifying those of the connected logical groups as relevant logical groups if a connected logical group is not a member of any logical group container.