Abstract: A method and apparatus for concurrently displaying from a single window on a network management station the health status of all network devices and objects of a computer network. The network devices may be categorized according to state or device type, as determined by the network manager. The method and apparatus provides a network manager with the ability to determine the current state of network devices and objects within an enterprise network and invoke further actions such as configuration, performance, fault, and security management tasks. The network manager can drag and drop icons from one network management system application window to another network management system application window to obtain fault information about network devices and objects, thus allowing multiple network management system applications to run concurrently on the same network management station.

Abstract: A data communications network providing for a management of a router or the like in the network. Management of the router is accomplished though use of a logical view of a the router which view includes information on the router, protocols available on the router and interfaces available with the router. Further, commands to query routers for information and otherwise control routers in a data network are often cumbersome and difficult. Therefore, a improved method and apparatus is provided to allow such commands to be entered, by a network manager, into the router network management system and to be executed by selection of buttons on a menu. Still further, the disclosed router management system provides for true, at a glance, management of a router by allowing a single icon to be used to quickly review the status of the router and for the icon to be expanded into a full window to provide for further information on the status of the router.