Methods and systems for auto-instantiation of storage hierarchy for project plan

A method in a data processing system having a workflow, the method comprising the steps of:

• determining whether or not the workflow is associated with an existing storage hierarchy definition;
• generating a default hierarchy definition if the workflow is not associated with a storage hierarchy definition;
• defining a storage hierarchy in association with the workflow wherein the storage hierarchy definition includes a container identification and a role associated with the container identification;
• adding a pointer to a set of containers organized in a peer-to-peer or subordinate-to-superior relationship;
• generating a template for the storage hierarchy definition from the set of containers referenced by the pointer;
• automatically accessing the pointer to locate the template for the storage hierarchy definition;
• receiving a user prompt to generate a plan from the workflow;
• generating a container by way of the located template, the container having the container identification and the role in accordance with the storage hierarchy definition in response to the user prompt to generate the plan from the workflow;
• managing access to the container based on the role;
• receiving another user prompt to generate another plan from the workflow;
• and
• generating a different container having the container identification and the role in accordance with the storage hierarchy definition in response to the other user prompt to generate the other plan from the workflow.

A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a data processing system to perform a method, the data processing system having a workflow that models a process, the method comprising the steps of:

• determining whether or not the workflow is associated with an existing storage hierarchy definition;
• generating a default hierarchy definition if the workflow is not associated with a storage hierarchy definition;
• defining a storage hierarchy in association with the workflow;
• adding a pointer to a set of containers organized in a peer-to-peer or subordinate-to-superior relationship;
• generating a template for the storage hierarchy definition from the set of containers referenced by the pointer;
• automatically accessing the pointer to locate the template for the storage hierarchy definition;
• generating a plan from the workflow that reflects an instance of the process;
• automatically generating a container by way of the located template in accordance with the storage hierarchy definition when the plan is generated from the workflow;
• generating another plan from the workflow that reflects another instance of the process;
• and
• generating a different container in accordance with the storage hierarchy definition when another plan is generated from the workflow.

A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a data processing system to perform a method, the data processing system having a workflow, the method comprising the steps of:

• determining whether or not the workflow is associated with an existing storage hierarchy definition;
• generating a default hierarchy definition if the workflow is not associated with a storage hierarchy definition;
• defining a storage hierarchy in association with the workflow wherein the storage hierarchy definition includes a container identification and a role associated with the container identification;
• adding a pointer to a set of containers organized in a peer-to-peer or subordinate-to-superior relationship;
• generating a template for the storage hierarchy definition from the set of containers referenced by the pointer;
• automatically accessing the pointer to locate the template for the storage hierarchy definition;
• receiving a user prompt to generate a plan from the workflow;
• generating a container by way of the located template, the container having the container identification and the role in accordance with the storage hierarchy definition in response to the user prompt to generate the plan from the workflow;
• managing access to the container based on the role;
• receiving another user prompt to generate another plan from the workflow;
• and
• generating a different container having the container identification and the role in accordance with the storage hierarchy definition in response to the other user prompt to generate the other plan from the workflow.

A data processing system comprising:

• a secondary storage device further comprising a workflow;
• a memory device further comprising a program that generates a default storage hierarchy definition associated with the workflow if no storage hierarchy definition exists, the storage hierarchy definition having a plurality of related container identifications, adds a pointer to a set of containers organized in a peer-to-peer or subordinate-to-superior relationship, generates a template for the storage hierarchy definition from the set of containers referenced by the pointer, automatically accesses the pointer to locate the template for the storage hierarchy definition, generates a plan from the workflow when prompted by a user, automatically generates a plurality of containers by way of the located template in order to reflect the related container identifications in accordance with the storage hierarchy definition when the plan is generated from the workflow, generates another plan from the workflow, generates a different plurality of containers in accordance with the storage hierarchy definition when another plan is generated from the workflow;
• and
• a processor for running the program.

A system having a workflow that models a process, comprising:

• means for determining whether or not the workflow is associated with an existing storage hierarchy definition;
• means for generating a default hierarchy definition if the workflow is not associated with a storage hierarchy definition;
• means for defining a storage hierarchy in association with the workflow;
• means for adding a pointer to a set of containers organized in a peer-to-peer or subordinate-to-superior relationship;
• means for generating a template for the storage hierarchy definition from the set of containers referenced by the pointer;
• means automatically accessing the pointer to locate the template for the storage hierarchy definition:
• means for generating a plan from the workflow that reflects an instance of the process;
• means for automatically generating a container by way of the located template, the container being in accordance with the storage hierarchy definition when the plan is generated from the workflow;
• means for receiving another user prompt to generate another plan from the workflow;
• and
• means for generating a different container having the container identification and the role in accordance with the storage hierarchy definition in response to the other user prompt to generate the other plan from the workflow.