Abstract: In a storage area network (SAN), different tasks may expect different types of commands for commencing execution, such as interactive or offline, and may have different formats for reporting status and completion, such as log files or message based. A framework for defining the business logic enveloped in a particular task, and providing a common manner of deploying, or enabling invocation, of the task provides consistent operator control for scheduling, monitoring, ensuring completion, and tracking errors and other events. Business logic modules are identified as commands corresponding to a task. Transactions including a set of the commands define an ordered sequence for completing the task. The operator requests a particular set of tasks, using a selection tree, and the task manager builds a corresponding execution tree to identify and map the transactions and commands of the task to the execution tree to optimize execution and mitigate redundancies.