Abstract: Deployment of new elements in a computer network can result in development of patch kits adapters, and other software and trigger corresponding regressive test efforts. In a storage area network, a method is disclosed for defining a general, extensible model of a manageable entity for use in management of the entity. The method includes obtaining a set of attribute values related to the manageable entity in relation to the storage area network. A deployment engine identifies corresponding entity categories within a storage area network entity model that contains attribute definitions that correspond to respective attribute values in the set of attribute values obtained from the manageable entity. The deployment engine assigns the respective attribute values of the manageable entity to the corresponding respective attribute definitions identified in the model. The deployment engine then determines if all attribute values of the manageable entity have been assigned.

Abstract: Deployment of new elements in a computer network can result in development of patch kits adapters, and other software and trigger corresponding regressive test efforts. In a storage area network, a method is disclosed for defining a general, extensible model of a manageable entity for use in management of the entity. The method includes obtaining a set of attribute values related to the manageable entity in relation to the storage area network. A deployment engine identifies corresponding entity categories within a storage area network entity model that contains attribute definitions that correspond to respective attribute values in the set of attribute values obtained from the manageable entity. The deployment engine assigns the respective attribute values of the manageable entity to the corresponding respective attribute definitions identified in the model. The deployment engine then determines if all attribute values of the manageable entity have been assigned.

Abstract: A processing device generates a relationship view of managed entities in a storage area network based on objects stored in a relational database. Each managed entity (e.g., file system, database, volume, storage device, etc.) in the storage area network has a corresponding managed object stored in the relational database. Generally, managed objects of a particular type are categorized into one or more tables. Such tables are related to one another by foreign key attributes, which represent relationships between types of managed objects (and thus a relationship between corresponding managed entities). Relationships among the managed objects in the relational database may be generally classified as either association or containment. Association identifies a logical relationship between managed objects. Containment identifies groups of managed objects that are logically associated with each other.