Methods and apparatus for naming resources

A method of automatically generating zone names in a storage area network, the method comprising:

• retrieving a zone naming policy to be used for generating a respective zone name of a given zone in the storage area network;
• receiving identities of ports in the storage area network that are associated with the given zone;
• identifying corresponding resources in the storage area network to which the ports are attached;
• and
• identifying resource names associated with the identified corresponding resources, the resource names including a first resource name associated with a first resource and a second resource name associated with a second resource;
• based on the resource names associated with the corresponding resources and characteristics associated with the resources as identified by the zone naming policy. generating the respective zone name associated with the given zone;
• and
• wherein generating the respective zone name includes:
• as specified by the retrieved zone naming policy, combining text characters of the first resource name to text characters of the second resource name to produce the respective zone name for the given zone, the given zone defining a logical path in the storage area network including a communication link between the first resource and the second resource.

A computer system associated with a storage area network, the computer system comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory unit that stores instructions associated with an application executed by the processor;
• and
• an interconnect coupling the processor and the memory unit, enabling the computer system to execute the application and perform operations of:
• receiving a command initiating creation of a zone naming policy for generating zone names in the storage area network;
• receiving selection of at least one format element to be used in the zone naming policy, the at least one format element identifying which corresponding at least one type of characteristic associated with a given zone in the storage area network shall be used to automatically generate a respective zone name for the given zone;
• configuring the zone naming policy to specify creation of the respective zone name based on a combination of text characters selected from a first resource name associated with a first resource in the given zone and text characters selected from a second resource name associated with a second resource in the given zone, the given zone defining a logical path in the storage area network including a communication link between the first resource and the second resource;
• storing the zone naming policy;
• receiving a selection of ports in the storacie area network that are associated with the given zone;
• identifying resources in the storage area network to which the ports are attached;
• identifying resource names associated with the identified resources;
• and
• based on the resource names associated with the resources and the selection of the at least one format element, generating a respective zone name associated with the given zone by combining at least portions of the resource names.

A computer program product including a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon for processing data information, such that the instructions, when carried out by a processing device, enable the processing device to perform the steps of:

• receiving a command initiating creation of a zone naming policy for generating zone names in the storage area network;
• receiving selection of at least one format element to be used in the zone naming policy, the at least one format element identifying which corresponding at least one type of characteristic associated with a given zone in the storage area network shall be used to automatically generate a respective zone name for the given zone;
• configuring the zone naming policy to specify creation of the respective zone name based on a combination of text characters selected from a first resource name associated with a first resource in the given zone and text characters selected from a second resource name associated with a second resource in the given zone, the given zone defining a logical path in the storage area network including a communication link between the first resource and the second resource;
• and
• storing the zone naming policy;
• receiving a selection of ports in the storage area network that are associated with the given zone;
• identifying resources in the storage area network to which the ports are attached;
• identifying resource names associated with the identified resources;
• and
• based on the resource names associated with the resources and the selection of the at least one format element. generating a respective zone name associated with the given zone by combining at least portions of the resource names.

A method comprising:

• receiving a zone naming policy;
• receiving identities of ports in a storage area network that are associated with a given zone;
• identifying names of resources in the storage area network to which the ports are attached, the names of resources including a first resource name of a corresponding first resource in the given zone and a second resource name of a second resource in the given zone;
• and
• based on the names of resources, generating a respective zone name associated with the given zone by combining at least portions of the resource names in accordance with the zone naming policy, the combining at least portions including combining text characters of the first resource name with text characters of the second resource name to produce a respective zone name for the given zone in the storage area network.