Abstract: An agent in a storage area network stores a first identifier (e.g., a checksum value) for first zone configuration data previously used to configure a zone in the storage area network. The agent derives the first identifier from contents of the first zone configuration data. Further, the agent retrieves second zone configuration data presently used to configure the zone in the storage area network. The second zone configuration data is potentially different than the first zone configuration data. Based on contents of the second zone configuration data, the agent then produces a second identifier for the second zone configuration data. The agent then compares the first identifier and the second identifier to identify whether the first zone configuration data is different than the second zone configuration data. A user can control behavior of zoning importation and activation depending whether current zone configuration data has been changed.

Abstract: A software process receives a command initiating creation of a zone naming policy for automatically generating zone names in a storage area network. During creation of a zone naming policy, the software process receives selection of one or more format elements to be used in the zone naming policy. The one or more format elements each identify which corresponding at least one type of characteristic associated with a given zone in the storage area network shall be used to automatically generate a respective zone name for the given zone. For example, the format elements in a zone policy may identify how to generate a respective zone name using identifiers associated with resources associated with the zone. Accordingly, a network manager can create a zone naming policy for automatically generating zone names in a storage area network rather than having to manually create zone names for each created zone.

Abstract: In a storage area network (SAN), first and second zone sets are compared to identify differences, including zones appearing in one zone set but not the other, and zones in both zone sets but having different contents in each. A zone comparison user interface (UI) window is displayed on a SAN management computer system via user selection from a pop-up menu appearing when a SAN object is selected from a hierarchical object display. The UI window includes a differences display area to display zone set differences and includes fields for identifying a type of zone difference, a zone identifier, and identifiers of host computers and storage devices of a zone. Based on differences identified between the first and second zone sets, identifiers of those zones of the first and second zone sets having a predetermined difference type are displayed.

Abstract: A method for displaying graphically interconnected network fabrics on a graphical user interface. The method disclosed herein is a view manager that identifies fabrics (e.g., storage area networks) in a network system and then displays graphical representations of the fabrics within a graphical user interface. In this manner, the fabric representations are displayed in respective regions of the graphical user interface such that the pixels of each fabric representation do not overlap. Graphical interconnections are displayed between network fabrics to represent the relationship and connectivity between the fabrics. Additionally, the view manager displays the physical and virtual components or resources (e.g., host computers, switch devices, storage devices) that make up the network fabrics as graphical objects within the fabric representations.

Abstract: A processing device displays a physical network topology associated with a storage area network on a display screen. The physical network topology generated by the processing device includes identification of at least one switch resource that supports connectivity among resources in a corresponding storage area network. The processing device typically receives input from a user to display at least one virtual network associated with the storage area network. In response to receiving the input, the processing device displays a virtual network topology associated with the selected at least one virtual network in relation to the physical network topology on the display screen. Displaying the virtual network topology in relation to the physically network topology provides a unique view for the network manager to identify network resources in physical fabric associated with a selected virtual storage area network.

Abstract: A software process receives a command initiating creation of a zone naming policy for automatically generating zone names in a storage area network. During creation of a zone naming policy, the software process receives selection of one or more format elements to be used in the zone naming policy. The one or more format elements each identify which corresponding at least one type of characteristic associated with a given zone in the storage area network shall be used to automatically generate a respective zone name for the given zone. For example, the format elements in a zone policy may identify how to generate a respective zone name using identifiers associated with resources associated with the zone. Accordingly, a network manager can create a zone naming policy for automatically generating zone names in a storage area network rather than having to manually create zone names for each created zone.

Abstract: A processing device receives a selection of at least one host resource associated with a storage area network as selected by a network manager. In addition to receiving the selection of the at least one host resource, the processing device receives a selection of at least one storage parameter associated with the storage area network. The selection of the at least one storage parameter includes a selection of a vendor type of a storage system resource of the storage area network. Based on the selection information, the network management application correlates the selection of the at least one host resource with the selection of the vendor type to identify: i) storage devices of the storage system resource corresponding to the at least one storage parameter, and ii) access control rights of the at least one host resource with respect to the storage devices.

Abstract: Mechanisms and techniques provide a system for visualization of manageable network resources in a graphical user interface. The system displays a host element in a host display area, a storage element in a storage display area, and a connectivity element in a network display area of the network topology view on the display of the computerized device. The system displays the network display area in between the host display area and the storage display area. The system determines a coupling condition of the connectivity element in relation to at least one of the host element and the storage element and displays the coupling condition as a link on the display of the computerized device between the connectivity element and either or both of the host element and the storage element to which that coupling condition relates in order to visually convey the coupling condition to a user viewing the network topology view on the display of the computerized device.

Abstract: Mechanisms and techniques are disclosed that maintain managed object data associated with components in a network such as a storage area network by receiving management data associated with components operating in a storage area network and matching the management data to existing objects in a managed object database. For each existing managed object that matches the management data, the system updates object data within the existing managed objects with the matching management data. For management data not matching the existing managed objects in the managed object database, the system creates at least one new managed object containing the non-matching management data.