Patent ID: 8522167
Filing Date: 2013-08-27
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. In a computing environment, a method of displaying a hierarchy, the method comprising: identifying a set of nodes in a hierarchy, wherein the set of nodes share one or more common characteristics not shared by any other nodes in the hierarchy; determining that the set of nodes, as a set, meet a predetermined condition; as a result of the nodes sharing the one or more common characteristics not shared by any other nodes in the hierarchy and as a result of the set meeting the predetermined condition, aggregating at least a portion of the set of nodes; displaying in a graphical user interface a representation of the hierarchy including displaying the aggregated portion as a single entity in the hierarchy, the single entity being represented by a graphical object that includes an information box, the information box displaying summarizing information corresponding to a plurality of different nodes aggregated into the aggregated portion, such that the summarizing information is displayed without dis-aggregating the aggregated portion, the displaying of the summarizing information within the information box occurring prior to a user interacting with the graphical object, the summarizing information including at least one of an error status, a warning status or an operating status; displaying a user interface element for pinning; receiving user input at the user interface element for pinning a particular node that is determined to meet the predetermined condition and that is included in the aggregated portion, the input indicating that the particular node is pinned; in response to the input indicating that the particular node is pinned, causing the pinned node to be excluded from the aggregated portion, even while displaying the aggregated portion, such that the aggregated portion only includes nodes that are not pinned; and displaying the pinned node next to the graphical object representing the single entity in the hierarchy, such that pinning of the particular node causes the representation of the hierarchy to be displayed differently than when the particular node is not pinned.