International Business Machines Corporation

Gary Thomas Axberg

David Lynn Merbach

Allen Robert Heitman

Robert Beverley Basham

Sumant Padbidri

William Roy Yonker

Sunil K Nagarajrao

Duane Mark Baldwin

Gregory John Tevis

Sunil Bharadwaj

Gregory John Knight

Zhengwen He

Raymond M Li

Robert Bruce Nicholson

Greg Knight

Uma Devi Immaneni

Farhan Ahmad

A system, method and computer program product for intelligent discovery of network information from multiple information gathering agents adapted to discover information concerning the network. The discovery agents each have an associated discovery capability. Based on consideration of the agent discovery capabilities, discovery assignments are computed and network discovery is performed according to the assignments so as to reduce discovery poll overhead.

Intelligent discovery of network information from multiple information gathering agents

A storage area network (SAN) of the type has a plurality of components including one or more digital data processors in communication with one or more storage devices via a switching fabric. An interface process, e.g., resident on a manager digital data processor, permits the operator/administrator to effect execution of at least a process residing on the manager and at least one process, such as a management application, residing on another SAN component.

Methods and apparatus for launching device specific applications on storage area network components

An improved storage area network has a manager digital data processor that includes a first element that maintains a first representation of the SAN, and a second element that maintains a second representation of the SAN. The first element generates notifications of events in the SAN, e.g., addition or removal of components or relationships between components. The second element responds to such notifications by accessing the first representation (e.g., via the first element) and updating the second representation. In the event of a discrepancy between the event notification and either representation, the second element selectively disregards the event notification or rebuilds (recovers) the second representation by copying one or more attributes of the first representation.

Storage area network methods  with event notification conflict resolution

A distributed storage management program manages a network comprising multiple data storage devices attached to multiple host computer systems. The management program includes a separate agent in each host, and a central manager. The agents gather data and communicate with the manager across a communications path which is independent of the storage network. The manager collates the data from different agents to produce a coherent view of the network. Preferably, each local agent actively builds an internal topological view of the network as seen by its host and collects data such as error events, which it stores in internal data structures. The manager is able to resolve gaps in the information of each agent from information provided by other agents. Preferably, the manager represents the network as a collection of objects of different classes in an object-oriented class library. This collection is graphically displayed in a logical and understandable manner to a user on a display device.

Method for producing a coherent view of storage network by a storage network manager using data storage device configuration obtained from data storage devices

A network configuration program assists a user in planning the configuration of devices in an information processing network. Preferably, a planning function is part of a storage management program for managing a network of storage devices. After specifying a set of hardware to be configured, the storage management program presents a graphical display representing available hardware. The user performs sequential configuration steps by selecting represented devices with a pointer, and designating ports or other information as required. For example, where connections between two devices are being specified, the user selects a first device with the pointer, drags a line to a second device, and selects the second device to indicate the connection. Because a typical network must satisfy numerous constraints, which are difficult for the user to keep in mind, the storage management program determines, from among the available devices, which ones can be connected to a selected device without violating any of the network constraints. These connectable devices are then highlighted on the graphical display so that the user can visually interpret the valious configuration options available at that stage. The display is updated at each configuration step, to reflect the cumulative steps completed at that point in the overall configuration task. Updating the display also reflects the available choices for the next configuration step. In this manner, a user without extensive knowledge of system and device constraints is guided through the configuration process.

Network management system for enabling a user to configure a network of

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Lake Elmo, MN, United States of America

Gary Thomas Axberg