Group-Based View in User Interfaces for Data Storage Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current user interface management applications lack the ability to provide flexible viewing levels, restricting users to only a centralized view of all systems or individual system views, which limits their ability to manage and monitor data storage systems effectively across different business purposes or geographical regions.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a graphical user interface (GUI) with multiple scoping levels, allowing users to define and manage groups of data storage systems, enabling views at the all systems, group, and individual system levels, and facilitating operations such as data migration and replication based on predefined criteria.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a centralized view of all systems is provided, then comprehensive monitoring capability is improved, but usability and ease of operation deteriorates due to information overload
Solution Approach 1:
The user interface is segmented into multiple scoping levels (all systems level, group level, and individual system level), allowing users to divide the comprehensive system view into manageable segments. Users can select a specific scoping level to focus on particular groups or individual systems, reducing information overload while maintaining access to comprehensive monitoring capabilities when needed.
2Ease of operation
If only individual system views are provided, then ease of operation is improved, but comprehensive management capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The interface provides dynamic switching between different scoping levels, allowing users to transition from individual system views to group views and all systems views as needed. This dynamic adaptability enables users to easily manage individual systems while also having the capability to comprehensively manage entire data storage infrastructures when required.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple scoping levels are implemented, then adaptability and versatility are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The interface implements a nested hierarchical structure where the all systems level contains multiple groups, each group contains multiple systems, and each system contains multiple components. This nesting approach organizes complexity in a structured manner, allowing users to navigate through levels systematically while the underlying complexity is managed through the hierarchical organization rather than presenting as overwhelming interface complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for performing system management may include: defining groups, wherein each group includes one or more systems managed using a management application; selecting a scoping level, wherein the scoping level selected is one of multiple scoping levels including an all systems level, a group level, and an individual system level, wherein selecting the group level includes selecting a particular one of the multiple groups, and wherein selecting the individual system level includes selecting a particular one of the systems managed using the management application; and performing one or more operations in accordance with the scoping level. Information may be displayed in accordance with the selected scoping level. The multiple scoping levels may include multiple levels of groups. The scoping level may be selected using a menu of a graphical user interface of the management application. The systems may be data storage systems, such as data storage arrays.