Obtaining and displaying network topology information

Abstract

Computer-readable media, methods and network information computer systems are provided for obtaining network topology information about a relationship between a configuration item and a network of configuration items based upon a property of the selected configuration item, and displaying the network topology information as a topological map.

1 . A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform steps comprising:
 obtaining network topology information about configuration items related to a selected configuration item based upon a property of the selected configuration item; and   displaying the network topology information as a topological map.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the network topology information includes a second configuration item and a network route between the selected configuration item and the second configuration item. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 2 , wherein the property is a class of computer processes to which a particular computer process executing on the selected configuration item belongs, and the second configuration item shares the property with the selected configuration item. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 3 , wherein computer processes of the class communicate with each other using the Application Layer of the Internet Protocol Suite. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the property is a set of configuration items to which the selected configuration item has access and which share a second property. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 5 , wherein the second property is a class of computer processes. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , further having computer-executable instructions for causing the computer to provide a plurality of configuration items from which to select. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the property is defined in a perspective and the perspective is configured to receive the selected configuration item as input. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the perspective is further configured to receive a second configuration item as input, the medium further including computer-executable instructions for causing the computer to perform steps comprising:
 obtaining additional topology information about configuration items related to the second configuration item based upon the property; and   displaying the additional network topology information as a second topological map.   
     
     
         10 . A method of obtaining information about a relationship between a configuration item and a network of configuration items, comprising:
 obtaining from a configuration management database network topology information about the relationship based upon a property of the configuration item; and   displaying the network topology information as a topological map.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein obtaining the network topology information includes identifying a second configuration item that shares the property with the configuration item and a network route between the configuration item and the second configuration item. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the property is a class of computer processes to which a particular computer process executing on the selected configuration item belongs. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein computer processes of the class communicate with each other using the Application Layer of the Internet Protocol Suite. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the property is a set of configuration items to which the configuration item has access and which share a second property. 
     
     
         15 . The method  claim 14 , wherein the second property is a class of computer processes. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 providing a plurality of configuration items from which to select the configuration item; and   providing a plurality of perspectives from which to select, each perspective defining a property.   
     
     
         17 . A network information computer system, comprising:
 means for selecting a configuration item;   means for selecting a property of the selected configuration item;   means for obtaining network topology information about configuration items related to the selected configuration item based upon the selected property; and   means for displaying the network topology information as a topological map.   
     
     
         18 . The network information computer system of  claim 17 , further including means for identifying a second configuration item that shares the property with the configuration item and a network route between the configuration item and the second configuration item. 
     
     
         19 . The network information computer system of  claim 18 , wherein the property is a class of computer processes to which a particular computer process executing on the selected configuration item belongs. 
     
     
         20 . The network information computer system of  claim 19 , wherein computer processes of the class communicate with each other using the Application Layer of the Internet Protocol Suite.