Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying network node ports and related information in a network topology display. The user is able to clearly view ports of a connection device in the network and to view additional port information, such as the port type and the port number, for connected and unconnected ports of a network connection device. In addition, the user is able to toggle between a “show ports” mode and a “hide ports” mode for each connection device to view detailed information about the connection device ports or to hide the information in order to simplify the display.

Abstract: A storage area network management and configuration system is provided. The system includes an enterprise network that has a plurality of computer systems, and some of the plurality of computer systems include a server component, some include a client component, and some include both the client component and the server component. The system also includes a storage enclosure that is connected to a computer system having at least the server component. A graphical user interface window is provided by the client component, and the graphical user interface provides a graphical representation and icon links to configuration tools for controlling the drives and arrays of the storage enclosure. In one aspect, the enterprise network can include a plurality of storage enclosures that are connected to selected computer systems that are part of the enterprise network and that have the server component.

Abstract: A method for simplifying display of complex network connections in a user interface. The method includes displaying a network topology display having multiple interconnected nodes. The nodes, such as network hubs or switches, are connected to one or more of the other nodes via line segments or connection paths. The segments are intentionally overlapped to simplify the visual representation of the network topology display. To remove ambiguity as to which nodes are connected to each other, the method includes using distinguishing connector segments to connect the orthogonal portions of the line segments or connection paths. The connector segments are configured to indicate which nodes are connected and may include any polygonal structure. In one embodiment, the connector segments comprise rounded corner connectors between two orthogonal segments that effectively indicate connected node pairs.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of operating a graphical user interface to allow a user to selectively enable or disable a data path that is connected to communications between a first node and a second node of a switched network, such as a storage area network (SAN). The method comprises the steps of displaying a graphical representation of the datapath on a display, displaying a cursor on the display whose image position on the display is under control by the user, detecting when the image position of the cursor is in a predetermined distance from the graphical representation of the datapath, highlighting the graphical representation of the datapath when the displayed cursor is detected to be within the predetermined distance, and then selectively enabling or disabling the datapath of the network that corresponds to the highlighted graphical representation in response to an input signal controlled by the user.