Method and system for providing visualization of underlying architecture of a software system

1. A method for providing a dynamic visualization of an underlying architecture of a software system within a network, said method comprising:

accessing a datafile descriptive of the underlying architecture;

transforming the datafile to determine architectural components used to form the underlying architecture;

rendering, via a visualizer, a plurality of graphical elements representative of the architectural components, the graphical elements forming a graphical representation of the underlying architecture, the graphical representation dependent on a particular mode of a plurality of modes of operation of the visualizer;

displaying, on a web page, the graphical representation of the underlying architecture of the software system;

providing at least one control on the web page;

receiving a selection of the at least one control;

performing a graphical operation on the web page distinct from the rendering step for dynamic visualization of the graphical elements representative of the architectural components of the underlying architecture of the software system;

wherein the dynamic visualization provides a graphical representation of collaborative interactions between the architectural components of the underlying architecture of the software system;

communicating the rendered graphical representation across the network; and

wherein the visualizer is utilized for visualizing, using the web page, the underlying architecture of the software system during conceptual, development and deployment phases of the software system; and

wherein the architectural components of the underlying architecture are non-visual components that provide for back end operability of the software system.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

generating a plurality of subsections of a graphical image; and

locating the graphical elements in the subsections as described by the datafile.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the subsections are displayed as tiers.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising providing access to the visualization on a network.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the network is the Internet.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising receiving data for said rendering from a network connection.

7. The method according in claim 6 , further comprising:

storing the data.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the datafile includes extensible markup language (XML).

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising altering the graphical elements based on a selected configuration of the software system.

10. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an event initiated by an operation performed in a second graphical display operating in isolation of actual components of the underlying architecture; and

performing an operation on the graphical display based on the event.

11. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an event initiated by an operation performed in a second graphical display operating in conjunction with actual components of the underlying architecture; and

performing an operation on the graphical display based on the event.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of rendering comprises the step of rendering, via the visualizer, a plurality of graphical elements representative of conceptual architectural components, the visualizer rendering the graphical elements in a direct interaction simulation mode.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of rendering comprises the step of rendering, via the visualizer, a plurality of graphical elements representative of conceptual and developed architectural components, the visualizer rendering the graphical elements in a prototype simulation mode.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of rendering comprises the step of rendering, via the visualizer, a plurality of graphical elements representative of developed architectural components, the visualizer rendering the graphical elements in an architecture driven monitor mode.

15. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions, the sequences of instructions including instructions, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:

access a datafile descriptive of an underlying architecture;

transform the datafile to determine architectural components used to form the underlying architecture;

render, via a visualizer, a plurality of graphical elements representative of the architectural components on a graphical display, the graphical elements forming a graphical representation of the underlying architecture, the graphical representation dependent on a particular mode of a plurality of modes of operation of the visualizer;

display, on a web page, the graphical representation of the underlying architecture of a software system;

provide at least one control on the web page;

receive a selection of the at least one control;

perform a graphical operation on the web page distinct from the rendering step for dynamic visualization of the graphical elements representative of the architectural components of the underlying architecture of the software system;

wherein the dynamic visualization provides a graphical representation of collaborative interactions between the architectural components of the underlying architecture of the software system;

wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate the graphical representation of the underlying architecture across a network;

wherein the visualizer is utilized for visualizing, using the web page, the underlying architecture of the software system during conceptual, development and deployment phases of the software system; and

wherein the architectural components of the underlying architecture are non-visual components that provide for back end operability of the software system.

16. The computer-readable medium according to claim 15 , wherein the network is the Internet.

17. An application service provider (ASP) system for visualizing an underlying architecture of another distinct software system, the ASP system comprising:

a processor;

a datafile including a description of the underlying architecture;

a host computing system for transforming the datafile;

a visualizer for receiving the transformed datafile and visualizing the underlying architecture, the visualizer operating in one of a plurality of modes of operation;

a visual display for receiving and displaying the visualized underlying architecture of said another distinct software system;

wherein the visualizer is utilized for visualizing the underlying architecture of the system during conceptual, development and deployment phases of the system;

wherein the visual display is a web page on the Internet;

wherein the visual display includes at least one control;

wherein the at least one control is adapted to perform a graphical operation on the web page distinct from the rendering step for dynamic visualization of architectural components of the underlying architecture of said another distinct software system;

wherein the dynamic visualization provides a graphical representation of collaborative interactions between the architectural components of the underlying architecture; and

wherein the architectural components of the underlying architecture are non-visual components that provide for back end operability of said another distinct software system.

18. The ASP system according to claim 17 , wherein the visualization is displayed as a graphical user interface having the at least one control for altering the visualization.

19. The ASP system according to claim 18 , wherein the at least one control initiates a simulated event.

20. The ASP system according to claim 17 , wherein the datafile includes extensible markup language (XML) code.

21. The ASP system according to claim 17 , host computing system further:

receives an event initiated by an operation performed in a graphical user interface operating in isolation of actual components of the architecture; and

performs an operation on the visual display based on the event.

22. The ASP system according to claim 17 , wherein said host computing system further:

receives an event initiated by an operation performed in a graphical user interface operating in conjunction with actual components of the underlying architecture; and performs an operation on the visual display based on the event.

23. A method for providing a visualization of an underlying architecture of a software system within a network, said method comprising:

accessing a datafile descriptive of the underlying architecture;

transforming the datafile to determine architectural components used to form the underlying architecture;

rendering, via a visualizer, a plurality of graphical elements representative of the architectural components, the graphical elements forming a graphical representation of the underlying architecture;

displaying, on a web page, the graphical representation of the underlying architecture;

performing a graphical operation on the graphical representation for dynamic visualization of the graphical elements indicative representative of the architectural components of the underlying architecture of the software system;

wherein the dynamic visualization provides a graphical representation of collaborative interactions between the architectural components of the underlying architecture of the software system;

communicating the rendered graphical representation across the network; and

wherein the architectural components of the underlying architecture are non-visual components that provide for back end operability of the software system.

24. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions, the sequences of instructions including instructions, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:

access a datafile descriptive of an underlying architecture;

transform the datafile to determine architectural components used to form the underlying architecture;

render, via a visualizer, a plurality of graphical elements representative of the architectural components, the graphical elements forming a graphical representation of the underlying architecture;

display, on a web page, the graphical representation of the underlying architecture;

perform a graphical operation on the graphical representation for dynamic visualization of the graphical elements representative of the architectural components of the underlying architecture of the software system;

wherein the dynamic visualization provides a graphical representation of collaborative interactions between the architectural components of the underlying architecture of the software system;

wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate the graphical representation of the underlying architecture across a network; and

wherein the architectural components of the underlying architecture are non-visual components that provide for back end operability of the software system.

25. An application service provider (ASP) system for visualizing an underlying architecture of another distinct software system, the ASP system comprising:

a processor;

a datafile including a description of the underlying architecture;

a host computing system for transforming the datafile;

a visualizer for receiving the transformed datafile and visualizing the underlying architecture;

a visual display for receiving and displaying the visualized underlying architecture of said another distinct software system;

wherein the visualizer is adapted to perform a graphical operation on the graphical representation for dynamic visualization of architectural components indicative of the underlying architecture of said another distinct software system;

a second visual display for displaying, on a web page, the graphical representation for dynamic visualization of architectural components indicative of the underlying architecture of said another distinct software system;

wherein the dynamic visualization provides a graphical representation of collaborative interactions between the architectural components of the underlying architecture; and

wherein the architectural components of the underlying architecture are non-visual components that provide for back end operability of said another distinct software system.