Method and apparatus for intuitively administering networked computer systems

A method for displaying a diagram of at least a portion of a networked computer system, comprising:

• displaying an icon representing at least one component of the networked computer system viewed at a first level;
• displaying a link representing a relationship between at least one of the components represented by the icon and at least one remote component of the networked computer system viewed at the first level;
• receiving a signal from an input device;
• correlating the signal to a transition display operation;
• performing the transition display operation, including determining if the signal is correlated to a transition display operation that is a continuous zoom operation that increases a zoom speed from zero to a predetermined maximum zoom speed and decreases the zoom speed back to zero during the continuous zoom operation;
• and
• performing at least one predetermined advanced rendering technique of anti-aliasing, tinting, and translucency if the signal is correlated to the continuous zoom operation.

A method for displaying a diagram of at least a portion of networked computer system, comprising:

• displaying an icon representing at least one component of the networked computer system viewed at a first level;
• displaying a link representing a relationship between at least one of the components represented by the icon and at least one remote component of the networked computer system viewed at the first level;
• receiving a signal from an input device;
• correlating the signal to a transition display operation;
• determining if the signal correction to a transition display operation that continuously zooms until the icon is converted to a container;
• and
• performing the transition display operation, including gradually increasing a zoom speed from zero to a predetermined maximum zoom speed and decreasing the zoom speed back to zero during the transition display operation.