Unified Network Management Topology User Interface
Nortel Networks Preside Network Management Division
This project included exploring a variety of interface techniques that could be used to simultaneously reduce network topology and window clutter while allowing an operator to maintain cognitive context. Several well-known techniques were explored such as dynamic zooming, parabolic zooming, transparency and interlaying. Prototypes were developed to demonstrate some of the more promising techniques and focus groups were held to determine the most appropriate interface technique to use. At the end of the project, a final interface was developed. A patent was granted for the interface and it is currently used in the Preside product. The interface is a key product differentiator because it allows operators to visualize multilayer networks.
