Abstract: Content aggregation is used to build administration consoles. Preferred embodiments enable providing a solution-based approach to information technology (“IT”) administration, whereby content can be flexibly arranged to provide a content view that is adapted for the IT solution deployed in a particular IT environment. In preferred embodiments, portal technology is used for the aggregation framework, and portlets are used for creating content. Alternatively, other approaches such as struts and tiles may be used. Preferred embodiments deploy an administration console as a Web-accessible application, and this console consolidates the administration interfaces for an arbitrary set of management operations, including administration of an arbitrary collection of hardware and/or software resources. Roles/permissions may be used when rendering content for the console, thereby customizing a view to individual end users (or user groups).

Abstract: A system and method for managing object relationships in an enterprise is presented. A request manager receives a view request from a user. The request manager retrieves a management definition object (MDO) and a perspective that corresponds to the view request, which the request manager uses to generate a view that includes nodes corresponding to an enterprise's objects. The user analyzes the generated view, and sends a command request to the request manager that corresponds to a plurality of the nodes. The request manager uses the retrieved perspective, and the MDO in order to identify objects that correspond to the command request. Once the objects are identified, the command manager sends a command to the identified objects.

Abstract: A computer-implementable method enables a user to customize navigation of User Interface (UI) resources that are displayed on a computer User Interface (UI). A computer receives, from a user, an input of user-created metadata. This user-created metadata is associated with one or more UI resources that are depicted on a UI. In response to a user inputting specific metadata, the computer retrieves one or more UI resources that are associated with the specific metadata that has been input by the user. These retrieved one or more UI resources are displayed on the UI.

Abstract: Content from multiple remote/legacy consoles is aggregated within a central console to provide a single point-of-access for managing remote resources. Preferred embodiments deploy the central console as a network-accessible application, and this console application communicates with remotely-located console applications (and/or other locally-executing functions) that carry out tasks selected from the central console by an administrator and then return content generated by those tasks for rendering in the central console. The run-time environment used at the central console is not required to match the run-time environment of the remote/legacy consoles.

Abstract: Managing object relationships in an enterprise is presented. A request manager receives a view request from a user. The request manager retrieves a management definition object (MDO) and a perspective that corresponds to the view request, which the request manager uses to generate a view that includes nodes corresponding to an enterprise's objects. The user analyzes the generated view, and sends a command request to the request manager that corresponds to a plurality of the nodes. The request manager uses the retrieved perspective, the MDO, and also may access a backend in order to identify objects that correspond to the command request. Once the objects are identified, the command manager sends a command to the identified objects to the backend through plug-ins.

Abstract: Content from multiple remote/legacy consoles is aggregated within a central console to provide a single point-of-access for managing remote resources. Preferred embodiments deploy the central console as a network-accessible application, and this console application communicates with remotely-located console applications (and/or other locally-executing functions) that carry out tasks selected from the central console by an administrator and then return content generated by those tasks for rendering in the central console. The run-time environment used at the central console is not required to match the run-time environment of the remote/legacy consoles.

Abstract: A system and a method for generating an authorization role associated with a set of access rights and assigning the authorization role to a class of one or more computer users for accessing secured resources are provided.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for integrating portlets. When viewing portlets within a portal container, a user is presented with a choice of one or more sources of data and, for each source, one or more actions that the user can take regarding the source. When an action is selected, it causes the source data to be transferred to one or more “target” portlets that have also been activated by the user. The set of actions available from a given source is automatically provided given the available target portlets. As each portlet is initialized, it informs a “broker” of the actions that the portlet supports along with the type of data that is used by the action. When a portal page is being constructed, each portlet identifies to the broker the sources of data within the portlet along with the values and data types corresponding to the sources.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for integrating portlets. When viewing portlets within a portal container, a user is presented with a choice of one or more sources of data and, for each source, one or more actions that the user can take regarding the source. When an action is selected, it causes the source data to be transferred to one or more “target” portlets that have also been activated by the user. The set of actions available from a given source is automatically provided given the available target portlets. As each portlet is initialized, it informs a “broker” of the actions that the portlet supports along with the type of data that is used by the action. When a portal page is being constructed, each portlet identifies to the broker the sources of data within the portlet along with the values and data types corresponding to the sources.

Abstract: A system and method to observe user behavior and perform actions on interospectable objects is presented. A console logs backend events it receives from plug-ins and user actions it receives from a user. The console mines the logged entries and creates initial rules in response to mining the log entries. The console proceeds through a series of steps using the initial rules' cause nodes and effect nodes to generate deduced rules. The deduced rules include global user actions and global backend events. When the console receives subsequent backend events, the console matches the backend events with one of the global backend events included one of the deduced rules, and performs a corresponding global user action.

Abstract: A system for security management for applications associated with multiple user registries can include an integrated console configured to host a one or more applications or resource objects in corresponding realms. The system also can include one or more roles mapped to different ones of the resource objects and also to different users permitted to access the integrated console. The system yet further can include a user relationship system having associations with multiple different ones of the roles. Finally, the system can include console security management logic programmed to manage authentication for the users using realm of the resource object while not requiring a separate user registry for the integrated console.

Abstract: A task-like user interface is provided for Web-based applications. Preferred embodiments enable users to initiate multiple instances of tasks within a single Web application, where independent state information is retained for each instance. Each user-initiated task also has a prescribed life cycle with a definite start and end. Resources allocated to perform various activities can therefore be released when the activity ends. Optionally, contextual information can be passed to a task upon invocation. Support for persisting a currently-viewable work unit as a user-selectable favorite may optionally be provided.

Abstract: A system and method to observe user behavior and perform actions on interospectable objects is presented. A console logs backend events it receives from plug-ins and user actions it receives from a user. The console mines the logged entries and creates initial rules in response to mining the log entries. The console proceeds through a series of steps using the initial rules' cause nodes and effect nodes to generate deduced rules. The deduced rules include global user actions and global backend events. When the console receives subsequent backend events, the console matches the backend events with one of the global backend events included one of the deduced rules, and performs a corresponding global user action.

Abstract: A system and method for managing object relationships in an enterprise is presented. A request manager receives a view request from a user. The request manager retrieves a management definition object (MDO) and a perspective that corresponds to the view request, which the request manager uses to generate a view that includes nodes corresponding to an enterprise's objects. The user analyzes the generated view, and sends a command request to the request manager that corresponds to a plurality of the nodes. The request manager uses the retrieved perspective, the MDO, and also may access a backend in order to identify objects that correspond to the command request. Once the objects are identified, the command manager sends a command to the identified objects to the backend through plug-ins.

Abstract: Content aggregation is used to build administration consoles. Preferred embodiments enable providing a solution-based approach to information technology (“IT”) administration, whereby content can be flexibly arranged to provide a content view that is adapted for the IT solution deployed in a particular IT environment. In preferred embodiments, portal technology is used for the aggregation framework, and portlets are used for creating content. Alternatively, other approaches such as struts and tiles may be used. Preferred embodiments deploy an administration console as a Web-accessible application, and this console consolidates the administration interfaces for an arbitrary set of management operations, including administration of an arbitrary collection of hardware and/or software resources. Roles/permissions may be used when rendering content for the console, thereby customizing a view to individual end users (or user groups).

Abstract: Content from multiple remote/legacy consoles is aggregated within a central console to provide a single point-of-access for managing remote resources. Preferred embodiments deploy the central console as a network-accessible application, and this console application communicates with remotely-located console applications (and/or other locally-executing functions) that carry out tasks selected from the central console by an administrator and then return content generated by those tasks for rendering in the central console. The run-time environment used at the central console is not required to match the run-time environment of the remote/legacy consoles.

Abstract: The present invention is a method, system and apparatus for supporting search and query operations in a composite help view for an aggregation of applications. The system can include an application aggregator configured to aggregate individual applications into a single aggregated view. The system further can include a help system configured to render a help system view having composite help documentation formed from at least two help documents, each of the help documents corresponding to one of the individual applications. Help invoking logic can be coupled to the help system and disposed in the single aggregated view. A search and query tool also can be coupled to the help system through a search and query interface. Finally, an index can be coupled to the search and query tool. The index can include keywords disposed in the help documents and title information for individual applications corresponding to the help documents.

Abstract: The present invention is a method, system and apparatus for producing a composite help view for an aggregation of applications. The method can include obtaining at least two separate help documents. Each of the separate help documents can have an association with a corresponding one of separate interface units aggregated together into a single aggregated view. Importantly, the separate help documents can be combined into a composition of help documents corresponding to the single aggregated view. Subsequently, the composition of help documents can be rendered in a help system view responsive to a request for help initiated in the single aggregated view.

Abstract: A user centric policy creation and enforcement system, method and apparatus. The method can include observing state changes and action invocations in disparate applications through visual views of the applications. Correlations can be established between the observed state changes and action invocations. Rules can be formulated in a policy based upon user selected ones of the established correlations. Each of the rules can specify a state change in at least one of the applications. Each of the rules further can specify at least one resulting action invocation in at least one other of the applications. Finally, the policy can be applied so as to automatically respond to each subsequently observed state change with a specified action invocation.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for integrating portlets. When viewing portlets within a portal container, a user is presented with a choice of one or more sources of data and, for each source, one or more actions that the user can take regarding the source. When an action is selected, it causes the source data to be transferred to one or more “target” portlets that have also been activated by the user. The set of actions available from a given source is automatically provided given the available target portlets. As each portlet is initialized, it informs a “broker” of the actions that the portlet supports along with the type of data that is used by the action. When a portal page is being constructed, each portlet identifies to the broker the sources of data within the portlet along with the values and data types corresponding to the sources.