US9270540B2ActiveUtilityA1

Method and apparatus of providing an interface for managing network switches

23
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Dec 17, 2007Filed: Dec 17, 2007Granted: Feb 23, 2016
Est. expiryDec 17, 2027(~1.4 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Jimmy D. Dillon
H04L 41/22
23
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
8
References
23
Claims

Abstract

An approach is provided for presenting, via a graphical user interface, a plurality of selectable areas corresponding to a plurality of categories of switches and a plurality of options. One of the options includes a search function for finding a desired one of the switches. A communication session is automatically established with one of the switches as specified by a user through one of the selectable areas or the search function. Information from the one switch is received over the communication session, wherein the information is used for analyzing the one switch.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 presenting, via a graphical user interface, a plurality of selectable areas corresponding to a plurality of categories of switches and a plurality of options, wherein one of the options includes a search function for finding a desired one of the switches; 
 automatically establishing a communication session with one of the switches as specified by a user through one of the selectable areas or the search function; 
 receiving information from the one switch over the communication session, wherein the information is used for analyzing the one switch; 
 presenting, via the graphical user interface, a text box that accepts alphanumeric text to modify the received information and add troubleshooting information regarding the one switch to the received information; and 
 storing the communication session and the received information as part of a session profile unique to the user. 
 
     
     
       2. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the selectable areas are arranged as a plurality of tabs. 
     
     
       3. A method according to  claim 2 , wherein another one of the options includes a list of communication sessions corresponding to corresponding ones of the switches. 
     
     
       4. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the session profile is stored locally. 
     
     
       5. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the information is stored in a network drive as read-only, the method further comprising:
 providing a firewall to selectively permit access to the stored information. 
 
     
     
       6. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the information includes configuration information and the troubleshooting information. 
     
     
       7. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication session is established according to a Telnet protocol or a Secure Shell protocol. 
     
     
       8. A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 modifying cases of text within one or more text strings included in the information stored with respect to the session profile according to all upper case, all lower case, proper case, or a combination thereof. 
 
     
     
       9. An apparatus comprising:
 a processor configured to present a plurality of selectable areas via a graphical user interface corresponding to a plurality of categories of switches and a plurality of options, wherein one of the options includes a search function for finding a desired one of the switches, to automatically establish a communication session with one of the switches as specified by a user through one of the selectable areas or the search function, to receive information from the one switch over the communication session, and to present, via the graphical user interface, a text box that accepts alphanumeric text to modify the received information and add troubleshooting information regarding the one switch to the received information, wherein the information is used for analyzing the one switch; and 
 a database configured to store the communication session and the received information as part of a session profile unique to the user. 
 
     
     
       10. An apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the selectable areas are arranged as a plurality of tabs. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein another one of the options includes a list of communication sessions corresponding to corresponding ones of the switches. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the database is local to the user. 
     
     
       13. An apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a firewall configured to selectively permit access to the stored information, 
 wherein the information is stored as read-only. 
 
     
     
       14. An apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the information includes configuration information and the troubleshooting information. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the communication session is established according to a Telnet protocol or a Secure Shell protocol. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 modifying cases of text within one or more text strings included in the information stored with respect to the session profile according to all upper case, all lower case, proper case, or a combination thereof. 
 
     
     
       17. A non-transient computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, provide a graphical user interface comprising:
 a plurality of tabs corresponding to a plurality of categories of switches and a plurality of options, one of the options including a search function for finding a desired one of the switches, and a text box that accepts alphanumeric text to modify the received information and add troubleshooting information regarding the one switch to the received information, 
 wherein a communication session is automatically established with one of the switches based on input by a user through one of the tabs or the search function, the communication session transporting information from the one switch; and 
 the one or more sequences of the one or more instructions cause the one or more processors to store the communication session and the received information as part of a session profile unique to the user. 
 
     
     
       18. A non-transient computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 17 , wherein the graphical user interface further comprises:
 a crunch button configured to remove extraneous characters within one or more text strings included in the information stored with respect to the session profile. 
 
     
     
       19. A non-transient computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 17 , wherein the graphical user interface further comprises:
 a launch button configured to initiate the automatic establishment of the communication session with one of the switches resulting from the search function. 
 
     
     
       20. A non-transient computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 17 , wherein another one of the options includes a list of communication sessions corresponding to corresponding ones of the switches. 
     
     
       21. A non-transient computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 17 , wherein the information includes configuration information and the troubleshooting information. 
     
     
       22. A non-transient computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 17 , wherein the communication session is established according to a Telnet protocol or a Secure Shell protocol. 
     
     
       23. A non-transient computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 17 , wherein the categories include switch type, switch location, or a combination thereof.

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