| abstract |
A user interface for managing a system of components on a computer network by issuing directives to software tools, where each tool uses different directives to participate in the management of the components, establishes a predefined set of commands corresponding to management operations on the components, and associates every command with a directive. Commands on a given component are translated into a directive for delivery to the appropriate software tool to participate in the management of the given component. Components may be represented as color icons wherein, the brightness, color hue, and size of the icons are related to management information pertaining to the operation of the represented components. The invention provides for management of a limitless scope of hierarchical entities, from the macro to the micro level, making no distinction between, for example, networks, systems, nodes, nodal subsystems, circuit boards within those subsystems, components within those circuit boards, and so on. |