A Virtual World for Network Management

Existing network management systems typically use a combination of textual displays and 2D directed graph representations of network topology. We are designing a network management system that instead uses a virtual world presented through a 3D stereo display and manipulated with a 3D mouse. Our goal is to allow the user to better understand and control the structure and behavior of a large, complex network. In our current prototype, the user interacts with a 3D representation of a network whose topology and behavior is specified by a separate network emulator. The user can choose from among a set of different views of the network. For example, one view shows a selected virtual path as a series of logical links contained within a physical path. The system will ultimately serve as a testbed for the knowledge-based design of network visualizations.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 1993
• Where: VR
• Authors: Steven Feiner, Michelle X. Zhou, Laurence A. Crutcher, Aurel A. Lazar
• Keywords: Network Management System, Network Topology, Separate Network Emulator, Virtual Reality, VR 1993