[Patents] EPO-Patent on GUI-based network configuration

[PILCH Hartmut phm@a2e.de]

EP0490624 
Graphical configuration of data processing networks
IBM (US)


   Claims
   
   1. A computer system for defining the configuration of a network,
   comprising:
   means for graphically representing a first network of three or more
   nodes by defining first network objects for the nodes;
   means for graphically defining connections to relate the first network
   objects; and
   means for automatically generating parameters to configure a physical
   network as defined by the network objects and connections.

This means that user-friendly network administration tools can no longer
be developped under a Free Software system.  For a long time I have been
hoping for a system that will represent the nodes in the network and their
relations in a graphical manner, editable by drag&drop, and generate /etc/
configuration files from the result.  This can no longer be done.  Nobody
knows whether IBM is doing it in a reasonable way.  Anyway, the own the
problem, so they are under no pressure to solve it.

   2. The system recited in Claim 1, further comprising means for
   validating connections by comparing attributes of defined network
   objects.
   3. The system recited in Claim 1 or 2, further comprising means for
   distributing the generated configuration parameters to physical
   systems corresponding to the network objects.
   4. The system recited in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the means for
   graphically representing network objects and the means for graphically
   defining connections include means for displaying on a video display
   icons representing requester/server devices and connection protocols.
   5. The system recited in Claim 4, wherein the requester/server devices
   are workstations in a data processing network.
   6. The system recited in any preceding Claim, further comprising:
   means for graphically representing a second network of three or more
   nodes substantially coextensive with the first network;
   means for defining second network objects for selected network nodes;
   and
   means for graphically defining connections between selected second
   network objects.
   7. The system recited in Claim 6, further comprising means for
   validating connections by comparing attributes of said second network
   objects.
   8. The system recited in Claim 6 or 7, further comprising means for
   generating and distributing configuration parameters to physical
   systems corresponding to said second network objects.
   9. The system recited in any of Claims 6 to 8, wherein the means for
   graphically representing said second network objects and the means for
   graphically defining connections include means for displaying on a
   video display icons representing requester/server devices and
   connection protocols.
   10. The system recited in Claim 9, wherein the requester/server
   devices are workstations in a data processing network.
   11. A method of generating configuration parameters for a network of
   workstations, comprising the steps of:
   generating functional representations of three or more first network
   objects on a graphical video display;
   generating functional representations of connections relating the
   first network objects on the video display;
   generating configuration parameters to configure a physical network as
   defined by the combination of network objects and connections; and
   distributing the configuration parameters to the respective network
   objects in a physical network.
   12. The method recited in Claim 11, further comprising the step of:
   generating in a second functional mode a second set of network objects
   and connections corresponding substantially to the first network
   objects and connections.
   13. A system for configuring a network of multiple terminals,
   comprising:
   workstation means for graphically depicting a network of three or more
   objects;
   workstation means for graphically depicting connections relating the
   network objects;
   means for a user to interactively manipulate the objects and
   connections depicted by the workstation; and
   means for deriving configuration parameters from combined depictions
   having objects and connections.
   14. The system recited in Claim 13, further comprising means for
   distributing configuration parameters to physical systems
   corresponding to the network objects.
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   Data supplied from the esp@cenet database - l2