Device Substitution
There are disclosed systems and methods for managing network devices and/or physical layer devices involving a server computer, a client computer coupled with the server computer, and a connector device coupled with the server computer, and a plurality of network devices and/or physical layer devices coupled with the connector device. A management application executing on the server may provide a graphical user interface allowing for dynamic substitution of network devices and/or physical layer devices based on device substitution requirements provided by a user.
1 . A system for managing devices comprising:
a server computer;
a connector device coupled with the server computer;
a plurality of network devices and/or physical layer devices coupled with the connector device;
a management application program stored on the server computer, the management application program providing a graphical user interface and configured to
receive network device configuration information describing an arrangement of some of the plurality of network devices and/or physical layer devices,
receive a device reservation request specifying device substitution requirements,
wherein the device substitution requirements include one or more of a device type, device properties, a specified time and a specified time period,
reserve a selected device from a group of devices of the type of device specified in the device substitution requirements.
2 . The system of claim 1 wherein to reserve the selected device is based on which of the group of devices best meets the device reservation requirements.
3 . The system of claim 2 wherein the selected device is one of the devices that is available at the specified time for the specified time period.
4 . The system of claim 2 wherein the selected device has properties that correspond to or exceed the device properties specified in the device substitution requirements.
5 . The system of claim 1 wherein the management application is configured to reserve when the specified time is reached.
6 . The system of claim 1 wherein the management application is configured to reserve when a user activation is received.
7 . A method for managing network devices involving a server computer, a client computer coupled with the server computer, and a connector device coupled with the server computer, the method comprising:
coupling a plurality of network devices and/or physical layer devices with the connector device;
receiving via a management application program stored on the server computer network device configuration information describing an arrangement of some of the plurality of network devices;
receiving a device reservation request specifying device substitution requirements, wherein the device substitution requirements include one or more of a device type, device properties, a specified time and a specified time period;
reserving a selected device from a group of devices of the type of device specified in the device substitution requirements.
8 . The method of claim 7 wherein the reserving the selected device is based on which of the group of devices best meets the device reservation requirements.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the reserving the selected device is based on which of the devices is available at the specified time for the specified time period.
10 . The method of claim 8 wherein the selected device has properties that correspond to or exceed the device properties specified in the device substitution requirements.
11 . The method of claim 8 wherein the reserving is performed when the specified time is reached.
12 . The method of claim 8 wherein the reserving is performed when a user activation is received.
13 . A storage medium having instructions for managing network devices and/or physical layer devices stored thereon which when executed by a server computer having a connector device coupled therewith, the connector device having a plurality of network devices and/or physical layer devices coupled therewith, cause the server computer to perform actions comprising:
receiving device configuration information describing an arrangement of some of the plurality of network devices and/or physical layer devices;
receiving a device reservation request specifying device substitution requirements, wherein the device substitution requirements include one or more of a device type, device properties, a specified time and a specified time period;
reserving a selected device from a group of devices of the type of device specified in the device substitution requirements.
14 . The storage medium of claim 13 wherein the reserving the selected device is based on which device of the group of devices best meets the device reservation requirements.
15 . The storage medium of claim 13 wherein the selected device is one of the devices that is available at the specified time for the specified time period.
16 . The storage medium of claim 13 wherein the selected device has properties that correspond to or exceed the device properties specified in the device substitution requirements.
17 . The storage medium of claim 13 wherein the reserving is performed when the specified time is reached.
18 . The storage medium of claim 13 wherein the reserving is performed when a user activation is received.