Storage Area Network Resource Deallocation Impact Analysis
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional storage area network management applications face challenges in deallocating resources, as this process can inadvertently impact a chain of other resources in the network, leading to unpredictable effects on software applications and data access.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced that utilizes a processing device to identify and display which resources in a storage area network (SAN) will be impacted by a management action like deallocation, using a traversal function to map relationships between resources and present a graphical interface showing which resources will be fully or partially deallocated, allowing network managers to make informed decisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If resources are deallocated in a storage area network, then resource efficiency is improved, but unintended impacts on related resources occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary traversal of the resource graph to identify all resources that would be affected by a deallocation action before the actual deallocation occurs. This allows the administrator to see the complete impact chain and make informed decisions about whether to proceed with the deallocation or modify the selection to avoid unintended consequences.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback to the administrator by displaying the complete list of resources that would be affected by the deallocation action. This feedback mechanism enables the administrator to understand the full scope of impacts and adjust their decision accordingly, preventing unintended disruptions to dependent resources.
2Ease of operation
If a management action is applied to a resource, then the resource can be optimized or removed, but a chain of related resources is inadvertently affected
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the resource management operation into two distinct phases: first, it segments and displays the complete list of affected resources through graphical presentation; second, it allows the administrator to selectively confirm or modify the deallocation based on this segmented view. This segmentation makes the complex relationship structure manageable and transparent.
Solution Approach 2:
The graphical user interface acts as an intermediary between the administrator and the complex resource relationships. It translates the complex internal resource graph into a visual representation that shows all affected resources, mediating the interaction and allowing the administrator to navigate the complexity without directly managing the intricate resource dependencies.
3Speed
If resource deallocation is performed without impact analysis, then operational speed is maintained, but data accessibility is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary impact analysis by traversing the resource graph to identify all resources that would lose data accessibility due to the proposed deallocation. This preliminary action occurs before the actual deallocation, allowing the system to maintain fast operation speeds while ensuring data accessibility is preserved for all dependent resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback to the administrator about which resources would lose data accessibility, enabling informed decisions about whether to proceed with the deallocation or modify the resource selection. This feedback mechanism ensures data accessibility is maintained while allowing efficient resource management.
Data Source
AI summary
Initially, a processing device receives a selection of one or more resources to be deallocated from a storage area network. The processing device applies a traversal function to a repository of managed objects representing the resources in the storage area network to identify other resources (e.g., resources related to the selected one or more resources) in the storage area network that at least partially rely on existence of the selected one or more resources for accessing data stored in the storage area network. The processing device graphically presents the selected one or more resources for deallocation in relation to identified other related resources by highlighting the related resources in the storage area network environment that would not be inherently deleted altogether but whose ability to access data would at least be partially impaired if the selected one or more resources were deallocated from the storage area network environment.