Graphical user interface for configuration of a storage system

A storage server, comprising:

• a plurality of communication interfaces;
• data processing resources couples with the plurality of communication interfaces which transfer data among the plurality of communication interfaces, the resources including a plurality of driver modules, and configurable logic linking driver modules in the plurality of driver modules into data paths, the data paths including respective sets of driver modules;
• and
• a user interface coupled to the data processing resources to accept input data, and supply the input data to the data processing resources to configure the configurable logic, the user interface including a display and a user input device;
• data processing structures, coupled to the display and to the user input device, including logic to manage images displayed on the display, the images including a first image arranged to prompt a user to input data concerning host systems coupled to one of the plurality of communication interfaces, a second image arranged to prompt a user to input data concerning storage resources coupled to one of the plurality of communication interfaces, and a third image arranged to provide the input data to the configurable logic
• the first image including a display construct listing host systems available for configuration
• the second image including a display construct listing storage elements available for use, the storage elements available for use including a respective set of driver modules, the respective set of driver modules including a mirror storage element, the mirror storage element including two or more storage elements,
• the display construct including a hierarchical tree, the mirror storage element being represented as a head of the hierarchical tree, and the two or more storage elements being represented as branches of the hierarchical tree
• a communication interface arranged to provide the input data to the configurable logic.

A storage system comprising:

• a plurality of communication interfaces;
• data processing resources coupled with the plurality of communication interfaces which transfer data among the plurality of communication interfaces, the resources including a plurality of driver modules, and configurable logic linking driver modules in the plurality of driver modules into data paths, the data paths including respective sets of driver modules;
• and
• a display and a user input device;
• data processing structures, coupled to the display and to the user input device, including logic to manage images displayed on the display, the images including a first image arranged to prompt a user to input data concerning host systems coupled to one of the plurality of communication interfaces, a second image arranged to prompt a user to input data concerning storage elements coupled to one of the plurality of communication interfaces, and a third image arranged to prompt a user to input data concerning logical addresses used by the host systems to access the data paths to storage elements accessible using the server;
• the second image including a display construct listing storage elements available for configuration, the storage elements available for configuration including a mirror storage element, the mirror storage element including two or more storage elements,
• the display construct including a hierarchical tree, the mirror storage element being represented as a head of the hierarchical tree, and the two or more storage elements being represented as branches of the hierarchical tree.

A method for configuring a storage system comprising

• presenting a first image to prompt a user to input data concerning host systems coupled to a server;
• presenting a second image to prompt a user to input data concerning storage resources accessible using the server,
• the second image including listing storage elements available for configuration, the storage elements available for configuration including a mirror storage element, the mirror storage element including two or more storage elements, the presenting the second image including presenting a hierarchical tree, the mirror storage element being represented as a head of the hierarchical tree and the two or more storage elements being represented as branches of the hierarchical tree;
• and
• presenting a third image to prompt a user to input data concerning logical addresses used by the host systems to access the storage resources accessible using the server.