How will I manage data?

In the system I am thinking of, I want the user to be capable of viewing all network information between a node and its server. Meaning, if the user clicks in a computer on the map, the program will display all information such as, IP address, Mac address, current status of the computer, amount of network bandwidth in use, what switch it is connected too, what port on the switch it is connected too, etc. All things that are widely required during network maintenance. This however will require the implementation of a database into the application.

From my experience, there are a small number of database applications that widely know as being successful in data industries. The main one being, SQL. SQL would be considered the most popular information data management application in the world.

Microsoft offers their version called MySQL, but there are many other open source versions available. MySQL is also very flexible in terms that it can be integrated cross-platform.

The data management utility I am currently used to and have used before is a program called FileMaker Pro. It has been around for several years and I find more comprehensive to use over Microsoft Access.

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Navigation.

Creating a simple and easy to use interface is always the one of the most important aspects of a successful application. It has to be easy to use and not confuse the user with ugly, unnecessary and complicated graphics. Also, the interface should be cleaver and deliver only what the user asks for.

The task of navigation is the most prevalent user action in most large 3D environments, and it opens some challenges such as supporting spatial awareness, providing efficient and comfortable movements between distant locations (e.g. room to room or floor to floor or building to building) and making navigation lightweight and fluid so that users can concentrate on more important tasks.

“Navigation is subdivided into 2 components, the motor component called “travel” and the cognitive component called “wayfinding”. Navigation tasks can be classified into three catagories; Exploration - user investigating target locations
Search - moving to a particular target location
Maneuvering - moving to a viewpoint at a more advantageous
for performing a particular task.”

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How does this aid my Project?

As with “The Sims”, I can use the same concepts in my project. However, in the real working version of my project, I would have the 3D virtual environment interact with the physical real world for feedback, etc. For my prototype however it will work more like these simulation programs in that, events will be triggered randomly by programmed actions and will present feedback.

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3D Visualisation and 3D user Interfaces.

While researching the topic of 3D I stumbled across an industrial concept of 3D visualisation. Meaning, a simulated environment to represent a real life environment for the purpose of research, tutoring, learning and application. The military and aviation transport services even NASA use 3D visualisation to recreate an environment in 3D for the purpose of teaching routine tasks by simulation. I know everyone remembers Microsoft Flight Simulator. Flight Sims wouldn’t really be up to the standard of NASA but you get the idea.

I found a research group that have created a simulation of a science lab for chemical testing. The purpose of this simulation to teach the importance of safety while handling and working with dangerous chemicals. The overall outcome of the project was to obtain a better understanding of the methodologies and formalisms involved in building and engineering interactive visualization systems.

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Is there anything out there that I could relate to, maybe use as a model?

Taking a breather from looking at intense networking tools I decided to have a look at 3D computer games, which in their own right, have become so complex and advanced, are a perfect candidate for assessing usability of 3D interfaces. An application I came across is a computer game called “The Sims”. This is a 3D virtual simulation of people and their lives in which you can navigate around and control elements in the virtual environment. The A.I. within the game monitors the status of the Sims and alerts you on screen with feedback on how they are getting on and if there are any problems. Sound familiar?!

I personally like the concept behind the Sims, although it doesn’t prove to be a fantastically captivating game. However, I’m not trying to make a game, I want to make a business tool, although it would be interesting to include some novelties into the interface to give a more humane user experience. I have just decided, that it would be wise to use the Sims as a model to base my network management interface on. I think there are a few key elements I can translate into my project… Hopefully.

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What does a successful 3D interface design entail?

The successful 3D interface design should apparently be based first, “on existing research on human factors in computing systems” Second, “it should reuse interaction techniques and ideas developed be researchers.” Third, “it has to employ creativity and simple approaches that help to invent interfaces and new interaction techniques.” Finally it must use existing design models and strategies of 3D interface design.” However, there is no standards set for designing 3D interfaces. “there are still no cohesive 3D interface paradigms similar to paradigms in 2D desktop user interfaces.”

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What are the problems with using 3D environments over 2D environments?

To begin, the environments that we commonly know as 2D environments, are not 2D, they are 21/2D. This is so because; there are elements of dept in the environment i.e. windows placed on top of each other, etc.

People often find it difficult to understand 3D spaces and to perform actions in free space. Although, we do live in and act in a 3D world, the physical world contains many more clues for understanding how to more accurately simulate real world environments.

The major problem with using 3D environments is that it will take time to convert from using traditional systems. Some 3D systems I have seen, such as MaW3, a 3D GUI, which uses a 3D cursor in its environment. This process requires a space ball mouse to use the cursor because the cursor moves in 3D space. Maybe for hardcore users this might be appropriate but the aim of my concept is to make this as easy as possible to use. I’m thinking that a possible solution would be to combine the two environments. Use the 3D environment to display the information and use traditional 2D navigation techniques for navigation. In reality, 2D interaction offers a number of distinct advantages over 3D interaction techniques for certain tasks. According to some studies done in the field, 2D selection techniques are considered more efficient, even if further manipulation might require direct 3D interaction. “By taking advantage of the benefits of both interaction techniques, we can create interfaces for 3D applications that are easier to use and more intuitive for the user.”

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What are the advantages of using 3D over 2D to map a network?

Maps represent an abstraction of reality and are the most powerful tools to quickly provide information about places and spatial relationships to people searching for geographical information. The traditional 2D maps were designed for the non-digital age and the production of printed paper-maps. In the digital world there is however no reason for why to only operate in the two- dimensional world and not also include the third dimension. The user lives in a 3D world, and human beings have a more natural understanding of a 3D replication of the surroundings. A 3D map should therefore more naturally adapt to the surrounding environment of the respondents.

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What are the challenges in using 3D Visualisation to make these applications user-friendlier?

I am a firm believer that by using 3D visualisation one can display and depict more information on screen at any one time in a manner that is a lot easier to understand than 2D visualisation. Instead of looking for suitable metaphors to symbolise objects, why not create the object in 3D in a 3D environment that someone can understand and relate to the environment the program is supposed to represent and control.

“Interfaces that adhere strictly to a metaphor based on the physical world are in danger of becoming simulations of reality instead of useful analogies”

Instead of creating a symbolic application to try and metaphorically depict a situation or environment, why not create the environment that accurately represents itself. By using architectural drawings and the like to build a 3D environment of a said building and then, using the applications I mentioned earlier in conjunction to maintain the site. The applications I mentioned earlier normally give some sort of numerical or alphabetical reference to locate problems that occur which have then to be compared to architectural drawings to pin point, create the site in a 3D with a virtual representation of the network running through it that works with the program. Instead of having to cross reference grid points and reference points, a problem will be visible on screen, in 3D, in the exact virtually represented point of a structure.

I think this application will reduce time needed in locating problems in a network.

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What are the challenges in network maintenance?

A bit of a background…

About ten years ago, the first network I set up was a “LocalTalk” network using Apple Classics. Each computer was connected using the printer port and telephone cable. A sort of daisy chain effect, Common to a peer-to-peer network

Fastnet AppleTalk Tranceiver
This serial to Phone Net LocalTalk adapter has the usual DIN8 to RJ11 connectors. This was what was used back then to connect the computers together in the mentioned “daisy chain” effect. To me, this was the cheapest for of network that could ever be made and simplistic when it came to troubleshooting. It was either a computer at fault or a broken adapter

Today, computer networks have become a lot more sophisticated and have many different tools and instruments to connect each node together. A node is anything connected to a network i.e. a computer or a printer.



With the advances of Ethernet and Fibre Optic technology, networks are becoming cheaper, faster and vaster in size. Instead of having a small handful of computers in a single room, entire buildings are becoming connected together for the smallest of reasons such sharing an Internet connection or user documents and information.

This is all well in good, but it has it’s draw backs. When anything becomes bigger it opens up more doors for extra problems and errors to occur, which can cause entire site to stop working until the cause is found. For example, a school I worked in Dublin had no Internet connection in its main building for a number of days because electricians had accidentally drilled through the fibre optic hard line between that building and the administrator building. The electricians told nobody about this incident. It took a few days to discover the cause and a considerable amount of money in the process. Hardware such as fibre modules and switches were replaced because it was believed that they had failed even though, later it was found they weren’t the cause at all. Things like this could easily be avoided by using network management software and utilities that can tell what is working and what is not.

The software I have experienced is capable of such tasks as sending “packets” down a line to discover problems, kinks, breaks in the line and can give very precise locations of where these problems are on the network.

“EtherPeek”

However, these programs are very expensive. They can cost thousands of pounds and often need a college degree of it’s own to be able to decipher and understand what is being shown.

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The NYDFIM SIMS

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Peter Pan complex

Wow... Its been a while, i all most forgot about this thing. I;m going to begin by saying that the holidays was fantastic. Christmas ruled! New York was even better and now..... back to work =(

Wouldn't be great to stay a child forever, no responsibilities, no stress, no bs!

Alas, we can't all be peter pan so best get on with it. At the moment i think everyone in the class is slaving along with their essays for simon, the lit review for debbie and wendy and then, certainly the last thing on my mind, unfortunately the most interesting the live brief. Mmmmmm orange.

All i want to do is go back to new york and bring everyone back with me. It was by far an amazing time. I applied for a job in the apple store as soon as i got back. I'm definitely guna head back for at least 6 months, anyone up for it?!

Anyway, il leave with my favourite pic from the big apple:

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