Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for provisioning a storage consumer with storage in a SAN networked computer system are disclosed. A SAN networked computer system may include one or more consumers of storage, such as host computers, a plurality of storage devices, and one or more SAN fabrics including the devices needed to connect the storage consumers to the storage devices. The system may also include a storage consumer-centric storage provisioner. To provide a storage consumer with storage, the storage consumer-centric storage provisioner may perform discovery on the system to acquire topologic information on the system along with the characteristics of system components. The storage provisioner may contextualize the information into the perspective of the storage consumer to present a user with candidate system configuration parameters from which to select, and when sufficient parameter selections have been input, the provisioner may configure the system according to the user selections.

Abstract: A method for performing application and task discovery in a network of computer devices. The method includes broadcasting a request for application data, such as a multicast request, over a communications network. Responses are received from agents on the computer devices and include application data such as an application name or identifier and an application launch point. A list of tasks that each application can run is also typically included in the application data, and associated with each task is a task entry point and a list of elements the task can be run against. Additional element information may be provided for each application including a list of elements managed by each application. The method continues with generating link and launch lists for the network such as a list that includes task identifiers with task entry points or a list that provides application names with launch points.

Abstract: A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides an improved system and method for object persistence. The preferred embodiment facilitates the creation of persistent objects in a way that is orthogonal to class and does not require the use of persistent mixin classes. The preferred embodiment uses reference objects, which to the view of the system act as the object itself, and storage objects which persistently store the data for the persistent objets. The reference objects include pointers to the storage object, and provide address translation and indirection when accesses are to be made to the persistent object data stored in the storage object.

Abstract: A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides an improved system and method for object persistence. The preferred embodiment facilitates the creation of persistent objects in a way that is orthogonal to class and does not require the use of persistent mixin classes. The preferred embodiment uses reference objects, which to the view of the system act as the object itself, and storage objects which persistently store the data for the persistent objets. The reference objects include pointers to the storage object, and provide address translation and indirection when accesses are to be made to the persistent object data stored in the storage object.

Abstract: Backup of network data is facilitated by using a native file sharing protocol to access shared data from a network device. Using a native file sharing protocol allows the data to be backed up from the network device without installing client software on the network device and without significantly modifying the network device. As a result, backup capabilities are available to a wide variety of network devices, including, for example, NAS and other devices that are not amenable to installation of client software.

Abstract: A method and computer program product for managing distributed applications on a local computer system, and a distributed application manager are provided. The distributed Application manager running at a local computer system keeps a list of available distributed applications as well as a list of servers from which these distributed applications can be downloaded. The distributed application manager presents a selection screen to the user, containing a list of available distributed applications; and based on a user selection from the list, the distributed application manager searches for the distributed application on a path of servers and a path of directories in each server. When the distributed application manager finds the selected application, it downloads the application from the server, installs the selected application at the local computer system and invokes the application for the user.