Storage Area Network Resource Manager Proxy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing storage area networks is challenging due to the complexity of configuring multiple resources, which can lead to issues when a single resource is not properly configured, and conventional methods do not scale well with network expansions, requiring extensive communication and management across various hardware and software resources.
Innovation Solution
A resource manager in a first server acts as a proxy to retrieve and serve configuration views from remote servers, maintaining a hierarchical tree of resources and distributing configuration management duties among multiple remote processes, allowing network administrators to view and manage resources through a graphical user interface, reducing the burden on a central management control center.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a central management control center is used to manage storage area networks, then configuration management can be performed, but the system complexity and communication burden increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized management function into distributed management agents located at each server. Each agent independently manages configuration for its local resources, eliminating the need for a single complex central control center. This segmentation reduces overall system complexity while maintaining management capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces management agents as intermediary components between servers and the management system. These agents act as local proxies that handle configuration requests locally, reducing communication burden on the central system and enabling scalable distributed management without increasing central complexity.
2Ease of operation
If conventional centralized management methods are used, then resource configuration can be managed, but scalability with network expansions is poor
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting management functions into distributed agents at each server, the system can scale horizontally as more servers are added to the network. Each agent manages its local resources independently, allowing the network to expand without overloading a central management system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables dynamic configuration of management parameters at the local agent level, allowing each server to adapt to its specific resource requirements. This local parameter flexibility supports network scalability by allowing individual servers to be configured independently as needed.
3Reliability
If direct communication with each server is required for configuration management, then precise control is achieved, but communication time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Management agents serve as local intermediaries that handle configuration requests for their respective servers. This eliminates the need for direct communication between the central management system and each server, reducing communication time while maintaining precise control through the agent-mediated interface.
Solution Approach 2:
Management agents perform preliminary local processing of configuration requests and maintain local state information. This preliminary action reduces the need for repeated communication with the central system, decreasing overall communication time while preserving configuration precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A user selects one or more storage area network resources for purposes of viewing respective configuration information. Based on a respective selection by the user, a management control system determines whether it maintains corresponding configuration information associated with the selected one or more resources. If so, the management control system generates a respective configuration view for the user to view respective configuration information associated with the selected one or more resources. If not, the management control system identifies a remote server that manages the selected one or more resources and communicates with the remote server to convey a configuration view generated by the remote server through the management control system to the user for viewing on a display screen. Thus, the management control system can either serve the requested configuration information to a client or act as a proxy for retrieving and serving the requested configuration information to the user.