Heterogeneous disk storage management techique

• US 20050216481A1
• Filed: 06/04/2003
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Crowther, David Aaron, Adkins, Andrew Eugene, Cao, Nanyu, Rama Reddy, Ravindra Kumar
• Granted Patent: US 7,836,101 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0685 Hybrid storage combining heterogeneous device types, e.g. hierarchical storage, hybrid arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD

Abstract

Management of one or more storage devices is achieved by first identifying each device by its make and model, and then establishing a database containing information about that device, such as (a) operational rules, (b) commands and (c) processing routines. From the information obtained from the database, a Graphical User Interface is created for display to afford a user at least one menu option for selection. Upon selecting the one menu option, the user obtains at least one of (a) a display of information associated with the identified storage device, and (b) execution of at least one process to control, at least in part, the operation of the identified storage device. The user'"'"'s selection is processed and the Graphical User Interface is automatically updated in response to the processing of the user'"'"'s selected menu option.

Claims

1. A method for managing at least one storage device, comprising the steps of:

(a) identifying the one storage device;

(b) establishing a database containing information about the identified device;

(c) providing to the user a graphical user interface in accordance with the information in the database, the graphical interface displaying at least one menu option for the identified device for selection by the user to request at least one of (i) display of information and (ii) execution of at least one process to control the operation of the one storage device;

(d) processing the selected menu option; and

(e) automatically updating the graphical user interface in response to the processing of the selected menu option.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of identifying the one storage device comprises the step of ascertaining a manufacturer and model number for the one storage device.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of establishing a database comprises the step of obtaining information that includes at least one of (a) operational rules, (b) commands and (c) processing routines of the one storage device.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the processing step includes

determining if the requested execution of the at least one process complies with the operational rules for the identified device, and if not,

blocking execution of the at least one process;

and

generating an error message.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of providing a graphical user interface includes the steps of:

displaying icons representative of each identified devices in a hierarchical fashion in a first pane; and

displaying information in a second pane related a corresponding one of the icons displayed in a first pane.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein steps (d) and (e) are repeated following receipt of each subsequent menu selection made by a user.

7. Apparatus for managing at least one storage device, comprising:

a database containing information about potential storage devices; and

a processor coupled to at least one storage device for (a) identifying the one storage device;

(b) providing to a user a graphical user interface in accordance with the information in the database, the graphical interface displaying at least one menu option for the identified device for selection by the user to request at least one of (i) display of information and (ii) execution of at least one process to control the operation of the one storage device;

(d) processing the selected menu option; and

(e) automatically updating the graphical user interface in response to the processing of the selected menu option.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the processor identifies the one storage device by ascertaining its manufacturer and model number.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7 database contains information that includes at least one of (a) operational rules, (b) commands and (c) processing routines of the one storage device.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the processor process the selected menu option by (a) determining if the requested execution of the at least one process complies with the operational rules for the identified device, and if not, (b) blocking execution of the at least one process;

and (c) generating an error message.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the processor provides the graphical user interface by (a) displaying icons representative of each identified devices in a hierarchical fashion in a first pane;

and (b) displaying information in a second pane related a corresponding one of the icons displayed in a first pane.