Abstract: A topology representation stores the topology in database tables corresponding to a topology schema for representing the manageable entities and relations in the SAN. A management application performs topology manipulations via database queries operable to process the database tables representing the topology, thus avoiding loading the entire topology into memory. Accordingly, configurations herein need not store the entire topology representation in order to process the topology by performing relational database queries that effectively perform the topology processing via the database query engine rather than a memory resident data structure.

Abstract: A database manager maintains information (in a database) associated with each of multiple resources according to different domain models used to view the resources by corresponding topology services. Model consolidation (for the topology services) and a unique way of storing information associated with the models in the database enables the database manager to efficiently store, calculate, and retrieve topology objects from a database for multiple model-driven applications, which may have commonly defined portions of the domain models. The model consolidation solution provides flexibility and scalability in terms of defining cross-model functionality for model-driven applications. Additionally, the model consolidation solution also allows any model-driven topology service application to operate within a set of domain models derived from application needs.

Abstract: A database manager utilizes a same physical database schema to store attribute information associated with each of multiple resources in a storage area network environment. For example, the database manager maintains a fixed number of (or a relatively small number of) relational database tables to store information associated with any of multiple types of storage area network resources and corresponding attributes. The database manager uses a portion of the relational database tables (e.g., a resource type table and property type table) to store metadata such as resource types and corresponding resource attribute information. The database manager uses another portion of the relational database tables (e.g., an object instance table and one or more different data tables) to store actual data associated with storage area network resources.