Netapp, Inc.

Network Appliance, Inc.

Tim Thompson

Mark Muhlestein

Gaurav Banga

A method and apparatus for operating a computer data storage system is disclosed. A computer data storage system is administered by a physical server administrator. The physical server administrator administers the computer data storage system with a full administrative capability. The physical server administrator creates one or more virtual servers, each virtual server administrated by a virtual server administrator. Each virtual server administrator has a designated subset of the full administrative capability for administrating the virtual server.

System and method for administering a filer having a plurality of virtual filers

A system and method enables a server, such as a filer, configured with a plurality of virtual servers, such as virtual filers, to provide two types of administrators for administering the filer. A physical filer (pfiler) administrator manages or administers common physical aspects of the filer, such as hardware resources of the filer and software objects that represent those resources. In contrast, a virtual filer (vfiler) administrator administers logical aspects of a vfiler, such as access control for logical storage resources belonging to the vfiler. The system provides full administrative capability authority to the pfiler administrator to administer the filer platform, including the ability to create and administer vfilers, whereas only a subset of administrative capabilities is provided to each vfiler administrator to facilitate its administrative function on behalf of a client.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Tim Thompson