IP Library Granted Patent US 11,227,079
Granted Patent B2
US 11,227,079 · App. 16/263,952 · Granted Jan 18, 2022

Automatic creation of graph time layer of model of computer network objects and relationships

Inventors: Ricky Poston (Austin, TX); Michael Cooper (Kingwood, TX)
Assignee: BMC Software, Inc.
G06F30/18G06F11/3006G06F11/328H04L41/0604H04L41/12H04L43/045G06F9/45533G06F9/45558G06F11/2025G06F11/3409G06F2009/45575G06F2009/45591H04L41/064H04L41/22H04L63/1408
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,227,079
App. No.
16/263,952
Granted
Jan 18, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and system create a model of a set of relationships between a set of parent computer network objects and a set of corresponding child computer network objects, over a period of time, and output a user interface graphing the model in a single view to illustrate the set of relationships over the period of time. The parent computer network objects include virtual machines and the child computer network objects include hosts. The user interface includes a search option to provide for a search of problems with the child computer network objects over the period of time.

Claims (44)

1. A method comprising:

generating, by a microprocessor of a computing device, a model of a set of relationships representing operations of a plurality of computer network objects over a time period;

graphing the model in a single view in a user interface;

displaying historical data to illustrate changes in the set of relationships over the time period, the single view including multiple time intervals and a representation of changes in status corresponding to one or more of the plurality of computer network objects with a warning status or a critical status that occurred within each of the multiple time intervals displayed in the single view over the time period; and

in response to selecting two or more of the plurality of computer network objects in the single view, generating, for each of the selected computer network objects, an expanded view representing the historical data over the time period, wherein each expanded view is configured to represent patterns of service usage over the time period.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further includes:

generating a time-based overlay for the single view, the time-based overlay including a status indicator representing a relationship for each of a plurality of services accessed by at least a portion of the plurality of computer network objects depicted in the model; and

automatically depicting the time-based overlay in the single view upon receiving a user selected first and second time within the time period.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the time-based overlay depicts a view of the relationship for each of the plurality of services accessed by the portion of the plurality of computer network objects between the user selected first and second time within the time period.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the model is a service model representing at least:

interactions between a set of parent computer network objects in the plurality of computer network objects and a set of corresponding child computer network objects in the plurality of computer network objects, wherein the model is generated based on data aggregated by the computing device or by one or more servers associated with the set of parent computer network objects and the set of corresponding child computer network objects.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

a search control is provided in the user interface and configured to enable a user of the user interface to identify and display patterns of one or more of the plurality of computer network objects with a warning status or a critical status that occurred over the time period.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein identifying at least one pattern of one or more of the plurality of computer network objects with a warning status or a critical status that occurred over the time period enables for display, in the user interface, additional relationship views corresponding to the identified pattern.

7. A system comprising:

a display;

memory including executable instructions; and

at least one processor operably coupled to the memory and configured to execute the executable instructions to cause the system to:

generate, by a microprocessor of a computing device, a model of a set of relationships representing operations of a plurality of computer network objects over a time period;

graph the model in a single view in a user interface;

display historical data to illustrate changes in the set of relationships over the time period, the single view including multiple time intervals and a representation of changes in status corresponding to one or more of the plurality of computer network objects with a warning status or a critical status that occurred within each of the multiple time intervals displayed in the single view over the time period; and

generate, for at least a portion of the plurality of computer network objects, an expanded view representing the historical data over the time period in response to selecting a portion of the plurality of computer network objects in the single view, wherein each expanded view is configured to represent patterns of service usage over the time period.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to:

generate a time-based overlay for the single view, the time-based overlay including a status indicator representing a relationship for each of a plurality of services accessed by at least a portion of the plurality of computer network objects depicted in the model; and

automatically depict the time-based overlay in the single view upon receiving a user selected first and second time within the time period.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the time-based overlay depicts a view of the relationship for each of the plurality of services accessed by the portion of the plurality of computer network objects between the user selected first and second time within the time period.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the model is a service model representing at least:

interactions between a set of parent computer network objects in the plurality of computer network objects and a set of corresponding child computer network objects in the plurality of computer network objects, wherein the model is generated based on data aggregated by the computing device or by one or more servers associated with the set of parent computer network objects and the set of corresponding child computer network objects.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein:

a search control is provided in the user interface and configured to enable a user of the user interface to identify and display patterns of one or more of the plurality of computer network objects with a warning status or a critical status that occurred over the time period.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein identifying at least one pattern of one or more of the plurality of computer network objects with a warning status or a critical status that occurred over the time period enables for display, in the user interface, additional relationship views corresponding to the identified pattern.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including code segments that when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

generate, by a microprocessor of a computing device, a model of a set of relationships representing operations of a plurality of computer network objects over a time period;

graph the model in a single view in a user interface;

display historical data to illustrate changes in the set of relationships over the time period, the single view including multiple time intervals and a representation of changes in status corresponding to one or more of the plurality of computer network objects with a warning status or a critical status that occurred within each of the multiple time intervals displayed in the single view over the time period; and

generate, for at least a portion of the plurality of computer network objects, an expanded view representing the historical data over the time period in response to selecting a portion of the plurality of computer network objects in the single view, wherein each expanded view is configured to represent patterns of service usage over the time period.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate a time-based overlay for the single view, the time-based overlay including a status indicator representing a relationship for each of a plurality of services accessed by at least a portion of the plurality of computer network objects depicted in the model; and

automatically depict the time-based overlay in the single view upon receiving a user selected first and second time within the time period.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the model is a service model representing at least:

interactions between a set of parent computer network objects in the plurality of computer network objects and a set of corresponding child computer network objects in the plurality of computer network objects, wherein the model is generated based on data aggregated by the computing device or by one or more servers associated with the set of parent computer network objects and the set of corresponding child computer network objects.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein:

a search control is provided in the user interface and configured to enable a user of the user interface to identify and display patterns of one or more of the plurality of computer network objects with a warning status or a critical status that occurred over the time period.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein identifying at least one pattern of one or more of the plurality of computer network objects with a warning status or a critical status that occurred over the time period enables for display, in the user interface, additional relationship views corresponding to the identified pattern.

Assignments (12)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 7, 2025
From: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.
To: BMC HELIX, INC.
Reel/Frame 070442/0197 →
GRANT OF SECOND LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 13, 2024
From: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
To: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069352/0568 →
GRANT OF FIRST LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 13, 2024
From: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
To: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069352/0628 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (052854/0139) Recorded Aug 6, 2024
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
Reel/Frame 068339/0617 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (052844/0646) Recorded Aug 6, 2024
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
Reel/Frame 068339/0408 →
OMNIBUS ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTERESTS IN PATENT COLLATERAL Recorded Mar 4, 2024
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS RESIGNING COLLATERAL AGENT
To: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066729/0889 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 1, 2024
From: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
To: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
Reel/Frame 066567/0283 →
GRANT OF SECOND LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Sep 30, 2021
From: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 057683/0582 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2020
From: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052844/0646 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2020
From: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052854/0139 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 10, 2019
From: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 050327/0634 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 6, 2019
From: POSTON, RICKY; COOPER, MICHAEL
To: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.
Reel/Frame 048245/0195 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,226,277