Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for managing access to a device. An I/O request directed toward the device is received and a determination is made of a device object for the device associated with at least one path object. A determination is made of a queue object associated with the device object, wherein the queue object corresponds to one queue. A determination is made of a queue status from the determined queue object and the I/O request is transmitted on a path indicated in the path object that is associated with the determined device object if the queue status is set to a state indicating to transmit I/O requests.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for selecting a path to a device to use when sending data requests to the device. Data requests are submitted to the device on a first path. Device information is maintained indicating a position of a data transfer mechanism of the device that performs the submitted data request. A second path to the device is selected if the first path fails. Data requests are submitted to the indicated position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided that configure a new network device via the network. The method consists of initiating a boot sequence on a first device. The boot process is suspended prior to performing network set up. The new device sends a configuration request to a computer on the network. The computer generates configuration data for the new device and sends configuration data the new device via a multicast message. The new device then writes the configuration data into a file used by an operating system for network configuration on the first device and continues the boot sequence.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for managing access to a device. An I/O request directed toward the device is received and a determination is made of a device object for the device associated with at least one path object. A determination is made of a queue object associated with the device object, wherein the queue object corresponds to one queue. A determination is made of a queue status from the determined queue object and the I/O request is transmitted on a path indicated in the path object that is associated with the determined device object if the queue status is set to a state indicating to transmit I/O requests.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for selecting a path to a device to use when sending data requests to the device. Data requests are submitted to the device on a first path. Device information is maintained indicating a position of a data transfer mechanism of the device that performs the submitted data request. A second path to the device is selected if the first path fails. Data requests are submitted to the indicated position.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for managing access to at least one device coupled to a computer system. A set of operating specific functions perform operating system related operations related to managing access to the at least one device. A set of device specific functions performs operations that interact with the device. The operating system specific functions and device specific functions are loaded into memory. Pointers to the operating system specific functions and device specific functions in memory are added to at least one function pointer list accessible to a device specific module and operating system module executing in the computer system. The device specific module and the operating system specific module access the pointers in the function pointer list to call the operating system specific functions and device specific functions.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, software resides on the NAS device itself to automatically look for a Jini lookup service with a specific NAS device domain. Once found, the NAS device registers itself as a NAS storage device with the Jini lookup service. Additionally, software resides on the storage device providing device specific instructions to implement a set of generic commands for interfacing with the device. A generic interface API is provided which all equipped storage devices will implement. This API is device independent. However, the implementation of it on the storage device itself is dependent on the internals of the device. This removes the burden of device specific knowledge from the user. With this implemented the user can configure multiple and diverse storage devices from a generic GUI regardless of the types of devices used. All device specific processing is performed by the device itself.