Abstract: A mechanism is provided in a storage management application that automatically reconfigures agents and scheduled probes of agents in cases where the agents do not automatically reconfigure themselves to manage a newly formed fabric after fragment segmentation. The solution does not burden the storage administrator to reconfigure agents or to reconfigure regularly scheduled inventory probes through storage management applications.

Abstract: Policies are implemented in a managed systems. Virtual heterogeneous entities are organized into a system resource group (SRG) hosted on a virtual volume that is accessed via a virtualization machine. Each of the virtual heterogeneous entities are visible to an application operable on the managed systems environment. The system resource group is subject to at least one membership requirement, defines a relationship between at least two of the virtual heterogeneous entities, contains at least one policy defining an operation as to be performed on the system resource group for a domain of the managed systems environment, and defines at least a portion of a policy framework between the system resource group and an additional system resource group organized from additional virtual heterogeneous entities. The system resource group expands according to an action performed incorporating the relationship, policy, or policy framework.

Abstract: Policies are implemented in a virtual cluster managed systems. Heterogeneous entities are organized into system resource group (SRG) hosted on a virtual volume that is accessed via a virtual machine. Each of the heterogeneous entities is visible to an application operable on the virtual cluster managed systems environment. The system resource group is subject to at least one membership requirement, defines a relationship between at least two of the heterogeneous entities, contains at least one policy defining an operation as to be performed on the system resource group for a domain of the virtual cluster managed systems environment, and defines at least a portion of a policy framework between the system resource group and an additional system resource group organized from additional heterogeneous entities. The system resource group expands according to an action performed incorporating the relationship, policy, or policy framework.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for implementing policies in a managed systems environment is provided. A plurality of the heterogeneous entities is organized into a system resource group (SRG). Each of the plurality of heterogeneous entities is visible to an application operable on the managed systems environment. The system resource group is subject to at least one membership requirement, defines a relationship between at least two of the heterogeneous entities, contains at least one policy defining an operation as to be performed on the system resource group for a domain of the managed systems environment, and defines at least a portion of a policy framework between the system resource group and an additional system resource group organized from an additional plurality of the heterogeneous entities. The system resource group expands according to an action performed incorporating the relationship, policy, or policy framework.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: The invention provides improvements on a digital data processing system of the type having a first set of hosts, storage devices or other components coupled for communication with a first network manager. A second set of components is likewise coupled to a second network manager. Communications between the network managers and their respective sets of components utilize different protocols, the first network manager referring to components of the first set with identifiers that are unique to those respective components under the first protocol, and the second network manager referring to components of the second set with identifiers that are unique to those respective components under the second protocol.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are provided for configuring a network feature for a network fabric. The apparatus includes an input module, a discovery module, a selection module and an assignment module. The input module receives a network feature configuration for a network fabric. The discovery module determines the network feature capabilities of each of a plurality of agents coupled to the network fabric. The selection module selects a preferred agent from the plurality of agents. The assignment module assigns the preferred agent to apply the network feature configuration to the network fabric through a management interface coupling the preferred agent to the network fabric.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for implementing policies in a managed systems environment is provided. A plurality of the heterogeneous entities is organized into a system resource group (SRG). Each of the plurality of heterogeneous entities is visible to an application operable on the managed systems environment. The system resource group is subject to at least one membership requirement, defines a relationship between at least two of the heterogeneous entities, contains at least one policy defining an operation as to be performed on the system resource group for a domain of the managed systems environment, and defines at least a portion of a policy framework between the system resource group and an additional system resource group organized from an additional plurality of the heterogeneous entities. The system resource group expands according to an action performed incorporating the relationship, policy, or policy framework.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for detecting entity changes in a storage area network. A discovery module probes a plurality of entities of the storage area network to detect an event in response to a policy, stores attributes of the probed entities, and reports the event with a probe event reference. A monitor module receives a self-announced event reference of the event if an entity communicates the event. A configuration module records the event as an initiated event reference if the event is initiated by an administrator. An event manager synthesizes a report of the event from the event references.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for generating a name for a system of devices. An identifier identifies each component in the system. Once each component is identified, information such as the World Wide Name (WWN) of each component is stored in a database. Additional information such as the IP address of each component may also be stored within the database. A comparator then compares a name such as the WWN of each component and selects the name of a selected component based on specified parameters provided by a user. The selected name is modified and then assigned as an identifier of the entire system of devices. The system of devices is thus assigned a unique identifier that remains the same each time those components form a system of devices.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for selectively removing entities from a user interface displaying network entities. A discovery database includes information on at least one network, and, for each network, information on entities in the network and a status of the entities. A user interface display is generated indicating the entities in one network that are available and unavailable. User selection is received of at least one entity in the network that is displayed as unavailable, wherein at least one displayed unavailable entity is not selected. User selection is received to remove the selected at least one entity and the selected at least one entity and any underlying entities within the selected entity are removed in response to the user selection to remove the selected at least one entity.

Abstract: The present invention concerns methods and apparatus for implementing an interactive graphical user interface having the ability to graphically depict the relationships between or among multiple portlets. In one aspect, the present invention relates a child sub-portlet to a parent portlet with at least one graphical indicator when the child sub-portlet is surfaced from the parent portlet. Other aspects of the present invention concern in-line tools integrated in the graphical indicators for managing portlet operations. The graphical indicators and inline controls of the present invention allow a user to accurately and precisely control portlets.

Abstract: Data collection agents are assigned to storage area network nodes in a storage area network resource management system, such that the bandwidth and cost of data collection are equitably distributed among data collection agents. Data collection overlaps and load imbalances are eliminated across the data collection agents, creating approximately equal partitions of bandwidth and data collection for each data collection agent. Graph partitioning is used to accomplish load balancing. The assignment of data collection agents to storage area network nodes equitably distributes the bandwidth and processing costs among the data collection agents and ensures a load balance.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided in a storage management application that automatically reconfigures agents and scheduled probes of agents in cases where the agents do not automatically reconfigure themselves to manage a newly formed fabric after fragment segmentation. The solution does not burden the storage administrator to reconfigure agents or to reconfigure regularly scheduled inventory probes through storage management applications.

Abstract: A storage area network (SAN) has a plurality of components including digital data processors, e.g., hosts, coupled to a plurality of storage device. Common, platform-independent processes execute on the hosts, which can be of varied platform types, e.g., Unix™, Windows™, Solaris, and so forth. Those processes utilizes the command line interface of the host operating system to invoke platform-dependent processes on the respective hosts. The platform-dependent processes return data to the platform-independent processes, e.g., via Standard Output or Standard Error of the host operating system command line interface.

Abstract: A storage area network (“SAN”) includes one or more digital data processors that are coupled for communication with one or more storage devices (e.g., LUNs) over an interconnect. The improvement provides a mechanism for hierarchically displaying, e.g., on the administrator console or other output device, portions of the SAN topology. It includes a process that generates for application to the output device a plurality of graphical object that represent “segments” of the SAN and/or components of the SAN, along with the interconnections between them. The process selectively responds to operator/administrator selection of any of the graphical objects that represent a segment by regenerating the display to depict the interconnected segments and/or components that make up that segment.

Abstract: The invention provides improvements on a digital data processing system of the type having a first set of hosts, storage devices or other components coupled for communication with a first network manager. A second set of components is likewise coupled to a second network manager. Communications between the network managers and their respective sets of components utilize different protocols, the first network manager referring to components of the first set with identifiers that are unique to those respective components under the first protocol, and the second network manager referring to components of the second set with identifiers that are unique to those respective components under the second protocol.

Abstract: A storage area network (SAN) management and configuration method and apparatus are provided via enabling in-band communications. In the storage area network (SAN) management and configuration method, a SAN management application is utilized for communicating with a device driver. A pass through is provided by the device driver to a host bus adapter (HBA) for passing communications to a device in the storage area network from the SAN management application. The storage area network (SAN) management and configuration apparatus via enabling in-band communications includes a storage area network (SAN) management application for communicating with at least one SAN-connected host system. Each SAN connected host system includes a management application agent for communicating with a host bus adapter (HBA) device driver. The HBA device driver is provided for communicating with a device in the storage area network.

Abstract: The invention provides improvements on a digital data processing system of the type having a first set of hosts, storage devices or other components coupled for communication with a first network manager. A second set of components is likewise coupled to a second network manager. Communications between the network managers and their respective sets of components utilize different protocols, the first network manager referring to components of the first set with identifiers that are unique to those respective components under the first protocol, and the second network manager referring to components of the second set with identifiers that are unique to those respective components under the second protocol.