IT Node Visualization via Social Scoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
In information technology environments, administrators face challenges in identifying and managing numerous nodes due to cluttered displays, relying on static filters and personal knowledge, which hinders effective troubleshooting and collaboration.
Innovation Solution
A method that provides visualization of IT environment nodes through social scoring, where administrators assess and score nodes, influencing display characteristics such as size, color, and shape, enabling collaboration and easy identification of relevant nodes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If administrators rely on static filters and personal knowledge to identify nodes, then they can maintain some level of node identification, but the display becomes cluttered and effective troubleshooting is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of node representation from static filters to dynamic social scoring. Nodes are re-ranked based on scores provided by administrators, which dynamically alters the display order and visibility of nodes. This resolves the contradiction by making node identification easier through relevance-based ordering while preventing information loss by displaying nodes according to collective administrator assessment rather than static criteria.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback loops where administrators provide scores for nodes, and these scores are used to re-rank and re-display nodes in the interface. This continuous feedback mechanism allows the system to adapt to administrator needs, improving node identification ease while ensuring that relevant nodes (those with higher scores) remain visible and information is not lost in cluttered displays.
2Loss of information
If all nodes are displayed with equal visibility, then complete information is available, but administrators cannot easily identify the most relevant nodes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the visibility and prominence of individual nodes based on their social scores. Instead of uniform display, nodes with higher scores receive enhanced visibility through re-ranking and potentially enhanced display characteristics. This resolves the contradiction by making relevant nodes easily identifiable (improving productivity) while maintaining access to complete node information through the scoring mechanism and interface design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamics into the node display system by continuously re-ranking nodes based on changing social scores. The display adapts dynamically as administrators provide new scores, allowing the most relevant nodes to rise to prominence automatically. This resolves the contradiction by improving troubleshooting efficiency through dynamic relevance-based ordering while ensuring all node information remains accessible through the system.
3Reliability
If administrators work independently with personal knowledge, then individual expertise is utilized, but collaboration among administrators is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges individual administrator expertise into a collective social scoring system. Each administrator's knowledge is captured through their scores, and these individual assessments are combined to produce a collective ranking of nodes. This resolves the contradiction by preserving individual expertise (each administrator still provides scores based on their knowledge) while enabling collaboration (the aggregated scores create a shared understanding and collaborative troubleshooting foundation).
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, a method may include providing a representation of each of a plurality of nodes of an information technology (IT) environment to a plurality of administrators responsible for maintaining the IT environment. A plurality of scores for each of two or more of the plurality of nodes may be received. Each score may provide an assessment of a respective node of the plurality of nodes. One or more display characteristics may be determined for each node for which one or more scores was received. The display characteristics may comprise a size of a respective node that is based on the scores received for the respective node. The display characteristics may be provided to at least one administrator of the plurality of administrators responsible for maintaining the IT environment.