Abstract: One aspect of the instant application facilitates automatic policy engine selection. During operation, a system can monitor a network including a set of network devices. The system can receive, based on the monitoring, a set of attributes associated with the network. At least two network devices are equipped with a different policy enforcement engine for enforcing one or more given policy rules. The system can apply a unified policy model to determine, based on the set of attributes, an assignment of the one or more given policy rules to the first policy enforcement engine and the second policy enforcement engine for providing an optimized policy enforcement. The system may then select based on the assignment, one or both of the first policy enforcement engine and the second policy enforcement engine. The system may activate the selected one or both policy enforcement engines for enforcing the given policy rules.

Abstract: One aspect of the instant application facilitates automatic policy engine selection. During operation, a system can monitor a network including a set of network devices. The system can receive, based on the monitoring, a set of attributes associated with the network. At least two network devices are equipped with a different policy enforcement engine for enforcing one or more given policy rules. The system can apply a unified policy model to determine, based on the set of attributes, an assignment of the one or more given policy rules to the first policy enforcement engine and the second policy enforcement engine for providing an optimized policy enforcement. The system may then select based on the assignment, one or both of the first policy enforcement engine and the second policy enforcement engine. The system may activate the selected one or both policy enforcement engines for enforcing the given policy rules.

Abstract: One aspect described in this application provides a unified policy broker. During operation, the system receives configuration information from the set of network devices. At least two network devices in the network can be equipped with a first and a second policy enforcement engine, respectively, for enforcing one or more given policy rules. The system can determine, based on the configuration information, a first and a second representation of the similar policy function corresponding to the first and the second policy enforcement engine, respectively. The system can apply a unified policy model to perform a first mapping from a unified representation of the similar policy function to the first and the second representation. The system can create a unified API based on the unified representation. The system applies, via a user interface, the unified API to configure the similar policy function across the first and the second policy enforcement engines.

Abstract: One aspect of the instant application facilitates automatic policy engine selection. During operation, a system can monitor a network including a set of network devices. The system can receive, based on the monitoring, a set of attributes associated with the network. At least two network devices are equipped with a different policy enforcement engine for enforcing one or more given policy rules. The system can apply a unified policy model to determine, based on the set of attributes, an assignment of the one or more given policy rules to the first policy enforcement engine and the second policy enforcement engine for providing an optimized policy enforcement. The system may then select based on the assignment, one or both of the first policy enforcement engine and the second policy enforcement engine. The system may activate the selected one or both policy enforcement engines for enforcing the given policy rules.

Abstract: One aspect described in this application provides a unified policy broker. During operation, the system receives configuration information from the set of network devices. At least two network devices in the network can be equipped with a first and a second policy enforcement engine, respectively, for enforcing one or more given policy rules. The system can determine, based on the configuration information, a first and a second representation of the similar policy function corresponding to the first and the second policy enforcement engine, respectively. The system can apply a unified policy model to perform a first mapping from a unified representation of the similar policy function to the first and the second representation. The system can create a unified API based on the unified representation. The system applies, via a user interface, the unified API to configure the similar policy function across the first and the second policy enforcement engines.

Abstract: Described are techniques for using resources of a data storage system. The data storage system is configured to have a first data storage configuration including a first extendable resource. The data storage system is configured to execute a virtual machine and one or more applications executing in the context of the virtual machine. One or more metrics are monitored regarding any of data storage system resource utilization and performance. It is determined whether the one or more metrics comply with specified criteria. If the one or more metrics do not comply with the specified criteria, processing is performed that includes providing a notification in connection with migrating any of the virtual machine and data used by the virtual machine from the data storage system.

Abstract: Described are techniques for performing data storage system management of a data storage system. Using an active element manager component, a data storage system management operation in connection with a data storage device of the data storage system is performed, and context information is collected and provided to a target location in an external environment having connectivity to the data storage. The active element manager component provides for automatically connecting a current session associated with the data storage system management operation to the target location and receives one or more communications from the external environment.

Abstract: A method and system for use in evaluating system performance is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the method and system comprises collecting system performance, management operations, and system events data for a computer system; correlating the management operations and the system events data with the performance data; and based on the correlation, providing a graphical user interface for enabling performance evaluations of the computer system by graphically displaying the management operations and the system events data overlaying the performance data.

Abstract: Techniques are directed to a cloud-integrated enterprise-class data storage array. It includes (a) an enclosure, (b) a set of storage drives mounted in the enclosure, (c) network interface circuitry mounted in the enclosure, the network interface circuitry communicatively connecting the cloud-integrated enterprise-class data storage array to a network to form a distributed virtualized computing environment, and (d) a redundant set of storage processors mounted in the enclosure. The redundant set of storage processors are configured to (1) process data storage operations directed at the set of storage drives in a highly-available and deterministic manner and (2) operate a cloud storage management node of the distributed virtualized computing environment to manage assignment of logical disks to respective virtual machines of the distributed virtualized computing environment, the logical disks including storage from the set of storage drives. A method and computer program product are also provided.

Abstract: Software is supplied via data storage system. A software image is provided to the data storage system from an external website. It is determined that software needs to be installed on a host. The software image is retrieved from the data storage system. The software is installed on the host using the software image.

Abstract: Described are techniques for facilitating communications between a client and a server. A first communication connection is opened between the client and server and remains open for a duration of a session. In response to receiving a client request, a second communication connection is opened. The client request is sent over the second communication connection to the server. A first response is sent to said client over the second communication connection. The second communication connection is closed. The client request is serviced and a data portion indicating a status is sent to the client over the first communication connection. The data portion is included in a second response sent from the server to the client over the first communication connection. If there are other client requests received by the server and processed during the session, additional data portions for the other client requests are included in the second response.

Abstract: A method for use in managing software environment installation is disclosed. A set of storage systems is identified to be managed via a Flex based data storage management application. It is determined whether the Flex based data storage management application can communicate with every data storage system in the set of data storage systems. Based on the determination, it is determined whether to cause installation of a Java operating environment allowing the Flex based data storage management application to communicate with every data storage system in the set of data storage systems.

Abstract: Described are techniques for performing automated discovery processing in a network. A data storage system monitors transmissions sent over the network. The data storage system extracts one or more data elements from one or more messages included in the transmissions and determines at least one application executing on a component in the network in accordance with the one or more data elements.

Abstract: Described are techniques for controlling access to objects. A template is selected. The template includes information specifying a role, one or more levels of expertise, and which objects and object information are accessible to said one or more levels of expertise. A first of the levels of expertise is selected. The template and the first level of expertise are associated with a user identifier. Access to objects and object information is restricted in accordance with the template when performing processing for the user identifier.

Abstract: Described are techniques for use in controlling information about a data storage system returned to an end user. A first set of information is sent from a first recipient location included in a hierarchy to a second recipient location included in the hierarchy. At the second recipient location, a second set of information is produced using information control criteria of said second recipient location. The second set of information is sent from the second recipient location to a component used to manage the data storage system.

Abstract: A method for use in managing object access is disclosed. A request is received at a reference monitor, wherein the request comprises an object type, an action associated with the object, credentials associated with a user, and access information. Template information is received at the reference monitor, wherein the template information specifies allowable access for the object using qualifiers for the object. For the user, determining at a management request engine whether to allow the action associated with the object based on the request and the template. Also disclosed is a system for use in managing object access.

Abstract: Described are techniques for performing data storage system management of a data storage system. Using an active element manager component, a data storage system management operation in connection with a data storage device of the data storage system is performed, and context information is collected and provided to a target location in an external environment having connectivity to the data storage. The active element manager component provides for automatically connecting a current session associated with the data storage system management operation to the target location and receives one or more communications from the external environment.

Abstract: Described are techniques for performing a data storage management task. A presentation technology service layer renders a user interface for user interaction in accordance with one or more rendering techniques. A user interaction template service layer includes one or more templates. Each of the templates describes processing to perform the data storage management task. A user interface data model mapping service layer communicates with at least one of a business logic service layer and a data storage interface layer to perform one or more operations in connection with the data storage management task and to map data received therefrom in a form for use by the user interface in accordance with a user interface data model.

Abstract: A method for use in communicating between software environments is disclosed. A JavaScript connection is established between a Flex based operating environment and a Java based operating environment. Based on the JavaScript connection, a socket connection between the Flex based operating environment and the Java based operating environment is established. Based on the socket connection, remote procedure calls are executed between the Flex based operating environment and the Java based operating environment.

Abstract: Described are techniques for providing support in connection with a data storage system. An active element manager component is used to perform, a data storage system management operation. The active element manager component collects context information. The context information is transmitted from the data storage system to an external environment. User relevant information is received at the active element manager component from the external environment. The external environment determines the user relevant information in accordance with the context information and support information and services provided by the external environment. The user relevant information includes information about one or more types of support. The user relevant information is displayed via a user interface.