Method and apparatus for managing a data imaging system using CIM providers in a distributed computer system

Apparatus for managing a data imaging service in a distributed computer system having a host computer system with at least one storage device connected to the computer system by driver software, the apparatus comprising:

• an interface layer located between the driver software and the storage device, the interface layer exporting a platform dependent API and controlling data passing between the driver software and the storage device;
• a CIM object manager running in the host system, the CIM object manager containing a CIM provider that can make calls on the interface layer API;
• management facade software running in a management server, the management facade software including a CIM client that can contact the CIM provider to control the CIM provider;
• a federated bean running in the management server, the federated bean generating method calls to the management facade to control the interface layer;
• and
• means for controlling the federated bean to designate master volumes, shadow volumes and bitmap volumes and to transfer data between specified master and shadow volumes.

A computer program product for managing a data imaging service in a distributed computer system having a host computer system with at least one storage as device connected to the computer system by driver software, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, including:

• interface layer software inserted between the driver software and the storage device, the interface layer software exporting a platform dependent API and controlling data passing between the driver software and the storage device;
• CIM object manager software operable in the host computer system containing means for creating a CIM provider that can make calls on the interface layer API;
• management facade software operable in a management server including a CIM client that can contact the CIM provider to control the CIM provider;
• federated bean software operable in the management server, the federated bean software generating method calls to the management facade to control the interface layer;
• and
• program code for controlling the federated bean to designate master volumes, shadow volumes and bitmap volumes and to transfer data between specified master and shadow volumes.

A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave for managing a data imaging service in a distributed computer system having a host computer system with at least one storage device connected to the computer system by driver software, the computer data signal comprising:

• interface layer software for insertion between the driver software and the storage device, the interface layer software exporting a platform dependent API and controlling data passing between the driver software and the storage device;
• CIM object manager software operable in the host computer system containing means for creating a CIM provider that can make calls on the interface layer API;
• management facade software operable in a management server including a CIM client that can contact the CIM provider to control the CIM provider;
• federated bean software operable in the management server, the federated bean software generating method calls to the management facade to control the interface layer;
• and
• program code for controlling the federated bean to designate master volumes, shadow volumes and bitmap volumes and to transfer data between specified master and shadow volumes.