Network appliance mapping

Abstract

The present disclosure includes a method that includes, by a solution appliance configured to administer resources in response to authorized users selecting tasks presented in a user interface, receiving an indication of a status change for a functional appliance configured to provide at least one of the resources, accessing a resource map that links the resources to the tasks, and indicating the status change for the functional appliance on the user interface based on the resource map.

1 . A method, comprising:
 by a solution appliance configured to manage resources in response to authorized users selecting tasks presented in a user interface:
 receiving an indication of a status change for a functional appliance configured to provide at least one of the resources; 
 accessing a resource map that links the resources to the tasks; and 
 indicating the status change for the functional appliance on the user interface based on the resource map. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 by the solution appliance:
 opening a communication channel with the functional appliance; 
 receiving status information from the functional appliance; and 
   by the functional appliance:
 sending status information to the solution appliance. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein the status change is an offline condition for the functional appliance; and   further comprising, by the solution appliance:
 determining a cause of the offline condition; 
 determining a time schedule for the offline condition based on the cause of the offline condition; and 
 displaying the time schedule for the offline condition on the user interface to indicate a change to the availability of the functional appliance. 
   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the user interface is a guest user interface; and   the user interface indicates a change to the availability of a task affected by the functional appliance.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the user interface is a solution administrator user interface; and   the user interface is modified to indicate a change to the availability of the functional appliance and a task affected by the functional appliance.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the user interface is for a system administrator; and   
       the user interface is modified to indicate a user affected by the functional appliance. 
     
     
         7 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A method for displaying user capability, comprising, by a solution appliance configured to administer a resource:
 detecting a functional appliance configured to provide the resource to the solution appliance;   mapping the resource to the functional appliance; and   assigning access to status information of the functional appliance for a user role having permission to utilize the resource from the function appliance.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further mapping a task administered by the solution appliance to the resource administered by the solution appliance. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 by the solution appliance:
 opening a communication channel with the functional appliance; 
 receiving status information from the functional appliance; and 
   by the functional appliance:
 sending status information to the solution appliance. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 by the solution appliance:
 detecting an offline condition for the functional appliance; 
 determining a cause of the offline condition; 
 determining a time schedule for the offline condition based on the cause of the offline condition; and 
 displaying the time schedule for the offline condition into the status information of the functional appliance. 
   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising, by the solution appliance:
 creating the user role having permission to utilize the resource from the functional appliance;   assigning the user role to a user;   receiving a request for access by the user;   querying a user directory for the user; and   identifying the user as having the user role.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the user role is a guest;   the status information includes an availability of performance of a task;   permission to utilize the resource involves permission to perform the task; and   the status information is displayed on a guest user interface.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the user role is a solution administrator;   the status information includes the availability of performance of the task and the availability of the functional appliance;   permission to utilize the resource involves permission to assign the task to task users; and   the status information is displayed on a solution administrator user interface.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the user role is a system administrator;   the status information includes users affected by the functional appliance;   permission to utilize the resource involves permission to determine one or more solution appliances contacting the functional appliance and one or more tasks scheduled for the functional appliance; and   the status information is accessed from a service processor and displayed on a system administrator user interface.