Methods and system for viewing SAN resources

A system for managing a storage area network, the system comprising:

• an integrated server;
• a remote server with respect to the integrated server;
• the integrated server maintaining a global hierarchical tree of resources associated with the storage area network, a first portion of the hierarchical tree being used to keep track of storage area network resources managed by the integrated server, a second portion of the global hierarchical tree being used to keep track of storage area network resources managed by the remote server;
• the integrated server configured to maintain configuration information associated with resources as specified by the first portion of the global hierarchical tree, the remote server configured to maintain configuration information associated with resources as specified by the second portion the global hierarchical tree;
• the integrated server configured to:
• communicate with the second server to learn of the second portion;
• receive the second portion from the second server;
• integrate the second portion with the first portion to produce the hierarchical tree;
• generate a configuration management view including a rendition of the hierarchical tree;
• forward, in response to selection of the at least one resource in the global hierarchical tree, the configuration management view to the client for display of the global hierarchical tree on a respective display screen at the client, the global hierarchical tree enabling the client to select different configuration views associated with the storage area network;
• after forwarding the configuration view associated with the at least one resource to the client, receive a command to modify the respective configuration information associated with the at least one resource;
• in response to receiving the command, forward the command from the integrated server over the communication network to the remote server;
• after forwarding the command to the remote server, receive an updated configuration view associated with the at least one resource from the remote server;
• forward the updated configuration view from the integrated server to the client;
• wherein the client is a first client of multiple clients, and wherein a second client of the multiple clients has direct access to the remote server, the second client being restricted to viewing the second portion of the global hierarchical tree and for viewing configuration information associated with resources in the second portion;
• wherein the client is a first client of multiple clients, and wherein a second client of the multiple clients has direct access to the remote server, the second client restricted to viewing the second portion of the global hierarchical tree and for viewing configuration information associated with resources in the second portion of the global hierarchical tree;
• wherein the integrated server enables retrieval of configuration view information associated with storage area network resources managed by both the integrated server and the remote server;
• and
• wherein the remote server enables retrieval of configuration view information associated with storage area network resources managed only by the remote server.

A 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 request from a client for a configuration view associated with at least one resource in a storage area network;
• identifying that respective configuration information associated with the at least one resource is managed by a remote server over a communication network;
• communicating with the remote server to retrieve the configuration view associated with the at least one resource;
• and
• forwarding the configuration view to the client
• maintaining, via the first server, configuration information associated with resources as specified by the first portion of the hierarchical tree, the second server maintaining configuration information associated with resources as specified by the second portion the hierarchical tree;
• maintaining the hierarchical tree associated with the storage area network including:
• communicating with the second server to learn of the second portion;
• receiving the second portion from the second server;
• and
• integrating the second portion with the first portion to produce the hierarchical tree;
• generating a configuration management view including a rendition of the hierarchical tree;
• forwarding the configuration management view to the client for display of the hierarchical tree on a respective display screen at the client, the hierarchical tree enabling the client to select different configuration views associated with the storage area network;
• and
• wherein forwarding the configuration to the client view occurs in response to selection of the at least one resource in the hierarchical tree;
• after forwarding the configuration view associated with the at least one resource to the client, receiving a command to modify the respective configuration information associated with the at least one resource;
• in response to receiving the command, forwarding the command from the first server over the communication network to the second server;
• after forwarding the command to the second server, receiving an updated configuration view associated with the at least one resource from the second server;
• forwarding the updated configuration view from the first server to the client;
• wherein the client is a first client of multiple clients, and wherein a second client of the multiple clients has direct access to the second server, the second server being restricted to viewing the second portion of the hierarchical tree and for viewing configuration information associated with resources in the second portion;
• wherein the client is a first client of multiple clients, and wherein a second client of the multiple clients has direct access to the second server, the second client restricted to viewing the second portion of the hierarchical tree and for viewing configuration information associated with resources in the second portion of the hierarchical tree;
• wherein the first server enables retrieval of configuration view information associated with storage area network resources managed by both the first server and the second server;
• and
• wherein the second server enables retrieval of configuration view information associated with storage area network resources managed only by the second server.

A computer program product including a non-transitory, 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 operations of:

• receiving a request from a client for a configuration view associated with at least one resource in a storage area network;
• identifying that respective configuration information associated with the at least one resource is managed by a remote server over a communication network;
• communicating with the remote server to retrieve the configuration view associated with the at least one resource;
• and
• forwarding the configuration view to the client;
• maintaining, via the first server, configuration information associated with resources as specified by the first portion of the hierarchical tree, the second server maintaining configuration information associated with resources as specified by the second portion the hierarchical tree;
• generating a configuration management view including a rendition of the hierarchical tree;
• forwarding the configuration management view to the client for display of the hierarchical tree on a respective display screen at the client, the hierarchical tree enabling the client to select different configuration views associated with the storage area network;
• and
• wherein forwarding the configuration to the client view occurs in response to selection of the at least one resource in the hierarchical tree;
• after forwarding the configuration view associated with the at least one resource to the client, receiving a command to modify the respective configuration information associated with the at least one resource;
• in response to receiving the command, forwarding the command from the first server over the communication network to the second server;
• after forwarding the command to the second server, receiving an updated configuration view associated with the at least one resource from the second server;
• forwarding the updated configuration view from the first server to the client;
• wherein the client is a first client of multiple clients, and wherein a second client of the multiple clients has direct access to the second server, the second client being restricted to viewing the second portion of the hierarchical tree and for viewing configuration information associated with resources in the second portion;
• wherein the client is a first client of multiple clients, and wherein a second client of the multiple clients has direct access to the second server, the second client restricted to viewing the second portion of the hierarchical tree and for viewing configuration information associated with resources in the second portion of the hierarchical tree;
• wherein the first server enables retrieval of configuration view information associated with storage area network resources managed by both the first server and the second server;
• wherein the second server enables retrieval of configuration view information associated with storage area network resources managed only by the second server;
• and
• wherein maintaining the hierarchical tree associated with the storage area network includes:
• communicating with the second server to learn of the second portion;
• receiving the second portion from the second server;
• and
• integrating the second portion with the first portion to produce the hierarchical tree.