Storage area network methods and apparatus with event notification conflict resolution

In a system for managing a storage area network (SAN) of the type that a plurality of components, including any of storage devices and digital data processors, the improvement comprising:

• a first element that maintains a first representation of the SAN and that generates an event notification indicative of an event with respect to the SAN,
• a second element in communication with the first element, the second element maintaining a second representation of the SAN and responding to the event notification by
• accessing the first representation and
• updating the second representation,
• the second element disregarding the event notification if any of
• i) the event notification is indicative of addition of a new component to the SAN and an attribute of the first representation is indicative of absence of that component,
• ii) the event notification is indicative of addition of a relationship between components of the SAN and an attribute of the first representation is indicative of absence of that relationship,
• iii) the event notification is indicative of addition of a relationship between components of the SAN and an attribute of the second representation is indicative of the absence from the SAN of one of the components to that relationship,
• iv) the event notification is indicative of a missing component of the SAN and an attribute of the second representation indicative of the absence of that component from the SAN,
• v) the event notification is indicative of a missing component of the SAN and an attribute of the second representation indicates representation of that component in the second representation, but the absence of that component from the SAN,
• vi) the event notification is indicative of a missing relationship between components of the SAN and an attribute of the second representation indicative of absence of that relationship in the second representation, or
• vii) the event notification is indicative of a missing relationship in the SAN and an attribute of the second representation indicates inclusion of that relationship in the second representation, but the absence of that component from the SAN.

In a system for managing a storage area network (SAN) of the type that a plurality of components, including any of storage devices and digital data processors, the improvement comprising:

• a first element that maintains a first representation of the SAN and that generates an event notification indicative of an event with respect to the SAN,
• a second element in communication with the first element, the second element maintaining a second representation of the SAN and responding to the event notification by
• accessing the first representation and
• updating the second representation,
• the second element responding to a discrepancy between the event notification and an attribute of any of the first and second representations by selectively recovering the second representation from one or more attributes of the first representation if any of
• i) the event notification is indicative of addition of a new component to the SAN and an attribute of the first representation is indicative of the presence of that component,
• ii) the event notification is indicative of addition of a relationship between components of the SAN and an attribute of the second representation is indicative of the presence of that relationship,
• iii) the event notification is indicative of modification of an attribute of a component of the SAN and an attribute of the second representation is indicative of the absence from the SAN of that component, or
• iv) the event notification is indicative of modification of an attribute of a component of the SAN and an attribute of the second representation indicative of inclusion of that component in the second representation but its absence from the SAN.

In a method of managing a storage area network (SAN) of the type that a plurality of components, including any of storage devices and digital data processors, the improvement comprising:

• maintaining a first representation of the SAN and generating event notification indicative of an event with respect to the SAN,
• maintaining a second representation of the SAN and responding to the event notification by
• accessing the first representation, and
• updating the second representation,
• responding to a discrepancy between the event notification and an attribute of any of the first and second representations by selectively disregarding the event notification or recovering the second representation from one or more attributes of the first representation.