A computer system comprises servers running application programs which are controlled, at least in part, by configuration parameters. The parameters are updated by first updating a database of configuration parameters, and then automatically updating the servers in accordance with the database updates to automatically maintain synchronization between the server configuration and the database.

System and Method for Managing Server Configurations

Legacy systems constitute valuable assets to the organizations that own them, and today, there is an increased demand to make them accessible through the World Wide Web to support e-commerce activities. As a result, the problem of legacy-interface migration is becoming very important. In the context of the CELLEST project, we have developed a new process for migrating legacy user interfaces to web-accessible platforms. Instead of analyzing the application code to extract a model of its structure, the CELLEST process analyzes traces of the system-user interaction to model the behavior of the application's user interface. The produced state-transition model specifies the unique legacy-interface screens (as states) and the possible commands leading from one screen to another (as transitions between the states). The interface screens are identified as clusters of similar-in-appearance snapshots in the recorded trace. Next, the syntax of each transition command is extracted as the pattern shared by all the transition instances found in the trace. This user-interface model is used as the basis for constructing models of the tasks performed by the legacy-application users; these task models are subsequently used to develop new web-accessible interface front ends for executing these tasks. In this paper, we discuss the CELLEST method for reverse engineering a state-transition model of the legacy interface, we illustrate it with examples, we discuss the results of our experimentation with it, and we discuss how this model can be used to support the development of new interface front ends.

https://www.cs.le.ac.uk/people/mel-ramly/papers/ASE03.pdf

User Interface Reverse Engineering in Support of Interface Migration to the Web

It is generally the case that some user interface (UI) reverse engineering is needed for every non-trivial reengineering project. Typically, this is done through code analysis, which can be very difficult and/or expensive. When code analysis is not a must, as for wrapping purposes, system-user interaction can be an alternative input for the reverse engineering process. In the CelLEST project, we have developed a prototype, called LeNDI (Legacy Navigation Domain Identifier), to test this idea. LeNDI records traces of the legacy screen snapshots and user actions, while the user interacts with the legacy system. Then, it extracts a set of features for every snapshot and employs artificial intelligence methods to build a model of the legacy UI, called the state-transition graph. LeNDI uses two clustering methods to group similar snapshots together as one system screen modeled by one node on the graph. LeNDI uses the user actions recorded in traces to model the behavior of the legacy screens as the graph arcs. Evaluation results of this process are encouraging. The state-transition graph is used to classify each individual snapshot forwarded by the legacy system to the user while he interacts with it and is a main input to the forward engineering phase of the project.

Modeling the system-user dialog using interaction traces

Architekturen für Network Computing

The present invention includes computerized method and apparatus for user interactivity with a network application executing on a server. The method and apparatus includes receiving, via a wireless network, an event message from a mobile device, the event message representing an input from a user interface on the mobile device where the user interface is executing based on a mobile application. The method and apparatus further includes generating data values based on the input in the event message and information relating to the mobile device. Moreover, the method and apparatus includes sending an update message to the mobile device based on the data values for updating a display of the mobile device.

System and method providing user interactivity across a network

This paper describes software technology that makes it possible to run host applications seamlessly in a World Wide Web environment. Web technology has opened up the potential for unprecedented access of data and applications by all types of users. Yet, the incompatibility between host technology (e.g., 3270) and Web technology (e.g., HTTP) has prevented Web users from directly accessing hundreds of thousands of host applications. The cost for re-implementing these applications would be enormous, and the effect to ongoing business would be disruptive. Host On-Demand extends Web access to reach existing host applications directly by using Java™ technology and provides a number of powerful features including: emulation functions on demand, persistent connections, customized session windows, multiple sessions, platform flexibility, and host security. This paper summarizes these features, describes Java implementation techniques, and outlines the need for some new network computing services.

D. B. Lindquist

Papers

IBM eNetwork host on-demand: the beginning of a new era for accessing host information in a Web environment