Method and apparatus for displaying network fabric data

Abstract

The invention relates to graphical user interfaces for managing electronic networks, such computer networks, storage area networks (SANs), and the like. Specifically, the invention provides a simplified means of managing large numbers of parameters associated with devices in such networks. In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a method of displaying devices forming a network. In a first step, a computer system associated with a graphical user interface queries the network to determine what devices are present in the network, and the interconnections of such devices. The results of this determination are stored, as is the time of this determination. Later, a second query is performed and the results are compared to the first query. Symbols representing elements of the network are displayed on the graphical user interface. When changes are detected between the first and second network query, the changes are indicated by altering the manner in which the symbols are displayed that represent the elements of the network that have changed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.