BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
For a better understanding of the exemplary embodiments, and to show more clearly how they may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings which aid in understanding and in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system according to an embodiment;
FIG. 2 is a tree diagram illustrating an exemplary data structure in accordance with an embodiment;
FIG. 3 is a tree diagram illustrating an exemplary data structure similar to that of FIG. 2 together with exemplary data stored by each node;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing exemplary modules of management software for the system of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the hardware components of an MMD;
FIG. 6 is a logical flow diagram of the software modules of the MMD.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method for operating the MMD.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the configuration step of FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the monitoring step of FIG. 7.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the reporting step of FIG. 7 for automated reports.
FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the reporting step of FIG. 7 for user requested web page reports.
FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary user-interface for reports;
FIG. 13 illustrates an exemplary inventory report;
FIG. 14 illustrates an exemplary role-based user interface;
FIG. 15 illustrates exemplary rules used by a rules processing module;
FIG. 16 illustrates exemplary events listed as a hot list;
FIG. 17 illustrates two machines operating at different levels of efficiency with assigned jobs of differing value;
FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating a method by which management software collects and stores data;
FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating a method by which the management software processes data into tactical role specific information;
FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating a method by which the management software outputs information on the user interface.
Patent Application
20070192128
