# US 9,882,962 B2 · Visualization device, visualization system, and visualization method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,882,962 B2 - Document ID: US9882962B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/391,169 - Filed: 2012-04-09 - Published: 2015-03-19 - Granted: 2018-01-30 - Earliest claimed: 2012-04-09 - Assignees: NEC Corporation - Applicants: Yoichi Hatano; Hideyuki Shimonishi; Kentaro Sonoda; Masayuki Nakae; Masaya Yamagata; Yoichiro Morita; Takayuki Sasaki; Takeo Ohno - Inventors: Yoichi Hatano; Hideyuki Shimonishi; Kentaro Sonoda; Masayuki Nakae; Masaya Yamagata; Yoichiro Morita; Takayuki Sasaki; Takeo Ohno - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9882962B2 ## CPC - H04L 67/10: in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46) - H04L 41/122: of virtualised topologies, e.g. software-defined networks [SDN] or network function virtualisation [NFV] - H04L 41/22: comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI] - H04L 69/40: for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection (management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A visualization device is communicable with one or a plurality of host servers for hosting a virtual system, and includes an information acquisition unit for collecting configuration information on the virtual system and the host server, a storage unit for storing the configuration information therein, and a drawing unit for expressing a virtual machine and a virtual network configuring the virtual system with different axes based on the configuration information stored in the storage unit, expressing a connection relationship between a virtual machine and a virtual network by linking the lines extending from the respective axes, and grouping virtual machines in units of server on which the virtual machines operate thereby to generate drawing information for expressing the configuration of the virtual system and the host server. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A visualization device which is communicable with one or a plurality of host servers for hosting a virtual system that comprises virtual machines communicating via a virtual network, the visualization device comprising: a storage; one or more processors coupled to the storage and configured to collect configuration information on the virtual system and the host servers, cause the configuration information to be stored in the storage, express virtual machines and virtual networks configuring the virtual system with different axes based on the configuration information stored in the storage, express a connection relationship between the virtual machines and the virtual networks by linking lines indicating the virtual machines and lines indicating the virtual networks, group the virtual machines of every host server on which the virtual machines operate, and generate drawing information for expressing the configuration of the virtual system and the host servers, wherein the one or more processors is further configured to indicate the virtual machines in a horizontal direction and indicate the virtual networks in a vertical direction, and when a virtual machine is connected to a plurality of virtual networks, generate drawing information for drawing the virtual machine between the lines indicating the plurality of virtual networks. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The visualization device according to claim 1, wherein the visualization device is communicable with a display device, and wherein the one or more processors is configured to output at least one of the drawing information for expressing the configuration of the virtual system and the host servers and the drawing information for drawing the virtual machine between the lines indicating the plurality of virtual networks to the display device and to present the at least one of the drawing information for expressing the configuration of the virtual system and the host servers and the drawing information for drawing the virtual machine between the lines indicating the plurality of virtual networks to a user via the display device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The visualization device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors is configured to express the virtual machines in a row, to express the virtual networks in a column, and to express that one virtual machine is connected to one virtual network on a condition that one line indicating the virtual machine is linked with one line indicating the virtual network. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The visualization device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors is configured to express a host server and a switch connected to the host server in different axes, to express a connection relationship between the host server and the switch by linking the lines extending from the respective axes, and to generate drawing information for expressing the connection relationship between the host server and the switch together with the configuration of the virtual system and the host server. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The visualization device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors is configured to generate drawing information for drawing lines indicating virtual networks as long as the virtual machines to be connected. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The visualization device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors is configured to generate summary information by integrating part or all of information on virtual machines included in a host server, and to generate drawing information for folding and omitting information other than the summary information on the host server. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The visualization device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors is configured to generate summary information by integrating information on virtual machines included in a virtual system as information on the virtual system, and to generate drawing information for displaying information other than the summary information on the virtual system in an omitted manner. ### Claim 8 A visualization system comprising: one or a plurality of host servers for hosting a virtual system that comprises virtual machines communicating via a virtual network; and a visualization device communicable with a display device, the visualization device comprising a storage; one or more processors coupled to the storage and configured to collect configuration information on the virtual system and the host servers, cause the configuration information to be stored in the storage, express virtual machines and virtual networks configuring the virtual system with different axes based on the configuration information stored in the storage, express a connection relationship between the virtual machines and the virtual networks by linking lines indicating the virtual machines and lines indicating the virtual networks, group the virtual machines of every host server on which the virtual machines operate, generate drawing information for expressing the configuration of the virtual system and the host servers, and output the drawing information to the display device, wherein the one or more processors is further configured to indicate the virtual machines in a horizontal direction and indicate the virtual networks in a vertical direction, and when a virtual machine is connected to a plurality of virtual networks, generate drawing information for drawing the virtual machine between the lines indicating the plurality of virtual networks. ### Claim 9 A visualization method in a visualization device which is communicable with one or a plurality of host servers for hosting a virtual system that comprises virtual machines communicating via a virtual network, the method comprising: collecting configuration information on the virtual system and the host servers; expressing virtual machines and virtual networks configuring the virtual system with different axes based on the configuration information; expressing a connection relationship between the virtual machines and the virtual networks by linking lines indicating the virtual machines and lines indicating the virtual networks; grouping the virtual machines of every host server on which the virtual machines operate; generating drawing information for expressing the configuration of the virtual system and the host servers; and outputting the drawing information to a display device communicable with the visualization device, wherein the virtual machines are indicated in a horizontal direction and the virtual networks are indicated in a vertical direction, and when a virtual machine is connected to a plurality of virtual networks, drawing information for drawing the virtual machine between the lines indicating the plurality of virtual networks is generated.