Abstract: Collecting data for a storage area network includes providing a plurality of agents that collect data from objects of the storage area network, providing a plurality of data collection policies, where each of the policies indicates a type of data to be collected and a frequency of collection, and applying the policies to the agents, where the agents collect data according to the type of data and the frequencies indicated by the data collection policies. At least one of the agents may have a plurality of data collection policies applied thereto to cause the at least one agent to collect the types of data at the frequencies indicated by the merge of all of the data collection policies applied to the at least one agent. Merging the data collection policies may be performed by the at least one of the agents that receives the data collection policies or may be performed by an entity other than the at least one of the agents.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a telephone caller information assistance such as driving directions from a starting location to a destination location. To obtain information assistance, the caller places a telephone call to access the system. If the geographical location of the caller can be determined by an automatic location identification system it is displayed on an operator console where the caller's request is transferred to be handled by a live operator. The operator receives the caller's destination request and queries the system for the street route driving instructions to the requested destination. After obtaining the street route driving instructions, the call can be transferred to an audio box having an interactive user interface capable of replaying the desired information to the caller. In an illustrative embodiment, the interactive user interface is capable providing functions to stop, start, pause, and replay the information to the caller.

Abstract: A multimedia, interactive kiosk system for use in site-specific locations, which enables the user to interface the system quickly and easily and interact with the system in response to information provided within wide limits of variation. The system provides customized interfaces for thousands of multimedia kiosks by presenting selected information from numerous independent information sources directed to the programmed site-specific aspects of the kiosk and allows the user to interact with the information as well as Vendor/subscribers providing services in response to the selected information. The multimedia, interactive kiosk system uses an interactive database at the kiosk site which is periodically updated from a multitask server engine in response to user commands or system criteria. Links are provided from the interactive database for periodic updates, multimedia presentations, and interactive manipulation by the location user.