Graphical user interface for creating a customized storage layout for an application

• US 7,293,237 B1
• Filed: 08/14/2003
• Issued: 11/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Operating Corporation (Gen Digital Inc.)
• Inventors: Kulkarni, Yateendra, Knight, Margaret E., Wang, Ko
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu; Tadesse
• Application Number:
  US10/641,128
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• Field of Search: 715762-764, 715/771, 715/700, 715/735, 715/736, 715/853, 711/170, 711/171, 710/8, 710/15, 709/223, 709/224
• US Class Current: 715/735
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2206/1008 Graphical user interface [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0629 Configuration or reconfiguration of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A system and method for determining a storage configuration for an application, where the storage configuration specifies a storage layout for data objects associated with the application. A Storage Configurator program may display a graphical user interface (GUI) for guiding the user through creation of the storage configuration. User input to specify properties of the storage configuration and/or properties of the application may be received to the graphical user interface. The Storage Configurator program may determine a storage configuration for the application, based on the user input received to the graphical user interface. In one embodiment, the Storage Configurator may provide an option allowing the user to save the storage configuration, e.g., in a file or database. Saving the storage configuration may allow the user to utilize the storage configuration at a later time. In one embodiment, the Storage Configurator may also provide an option allowing the user to implement the storage configuration. Implementing the storage configuration may comprise storing the plurality of data objects associated with the application on one or more storage devices according to the storage layout specified by the storage configuration. For example, the user may simply click a button to cause the data objects to be stored according to the storage layout.

Claims

1. A system for determining a storage configuration for an application, the system comprising:

a computer system including a processor and memory; and

one or more storage devices;

wherein the processor is operable to execute program instructions stored in the memory to;

display a graphical user interface for guiding a user through creation of the storage configuration;

receive user input to the graphical user interface, wherein the user input specifies one or more of;

properties of the storage configuration or properties of the application, wherein the user input received to the graphical user interface specifies a mapping of one or more data objects associated with the application to one or more storage resources of the one or more storage devices;

determine whether the specified mapping of data objects to storage resources is valid;

determine the storage configuration based on the user input received to the graphical user interface, wherein the storage configuration is determined using the specified mapping of data objects to storage resources if the mapping is determined to be valid;

wherein the storage configuration specifies a storage layout on the one or more storage devices for a plurality of data objects associated with the application.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operable to execute program instructions stored in the memory to:

implement the storage configuration, wherein said implementing the storage configuration comprises storing the plurality of data objects associated with the application on the one or more storage devices according to the storage layout specified by the storage configuration.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is further operable to execute program instructions stored in the memory to:

receive user input to the graphical user interface requesting implementation of the storage configuration;

wherein said implementing the storage configuration is performed in response to the user input requesting implementation of the storage configuration.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operable to execute program instructions stored in the memory to:

store the storage configuration in one of a file or a database.

5. The system of claim 4;

wherein said storing the storage configuration is performed at a first time;

wherein the processor is further operable to execute program instructions stored in the memory to;

retrieve the storage configuration at a second time subsequent to the first time;

re-display the graphical user interface; and

receive user input to the graphical user interface to modify properties of the storage configuration.

6. The system of claim 1,

wherein the processor is further operable to execute program instructions stored in the memory to:

display information indicating that the specified mapping of data objects to storage resources is not valid if the mapping is not valid.

7. The system of claim 1,

wherein said determining whether the specified mapping of data objects to storage resources is valid comprises determining whether storage resources specified by the mapping have sufficient storage capacity to hold the specified data objects.

8. The system of claim 1,

wherein said determining whether the specified mapping of data objects to storage resources is valid comprises validating the mapping against best practices of the application.

9. The system of claim 1,

wherein the one or more storage resources of the one or more storage devices comprise one or more volumes;

wherein the user input received to the graphical user interface specifies a mapping of one or more data objects associated with the application to one or more volumes.

10. The system of claim 1,

wherein the graphical user interface comprises a series of panels to guide the user through creation of the storage configuration in a wizard-like manner.

11. The system of claim 1,

wherein the plurality of data objects associated with the application include one or more of:

one or more files; and

/or

one or more databases.

12. A method for determining a storage configuration for an application, the method comprising:

displaying a graphical user interface for guiding a user through creation of the storage configuration;

receiving user input to the graphical user interface, wherein the user input specifies one or more of;

properties of the storage configuration or properties of the application, wherein the user input received to the graphical user interface specifies a mapping of one or more data objects associated with the application to one or more storage resources of the one or more storage devices;

determining whether the specified mapping of data objects to storage resources is valid;

automatically determining the storage configuration based on the user input received to the graphical user interface, wherein said automatically determining the storage configuration uses the specified mapping of data objects to storage resources if the mapping is valid;

wherein the storage configuration specifies a storage layout for a plurality of data objects associated with the application.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

automatically implementing the storage configuration, wherein said implementing the storage configuration comprises storing the plurality of data objects associated with the application according to the storage layout specified by the storage configuration.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving user input to the graphical user interface requesting implementation of the storage configuration;

wherein said automatically implementing the storage configuration is performed in response to the user input requesting implementation of the storage configuration.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

storing the storage configuration in one of a file or a database.

16. The method of claim 12,

wherein the method further comprises:

displaying information indicating that the specified mapping of data objects to storage resources is not valid if the mapping is not valid.

17. The method of claim 12,

wherein said determining whether the specified mapping of data objects to storage resources is valid comprises determining whether storage resources specified by the mapping have sufficient storage capacity to hold the specified data objects.

18. The method of claim 12,

wherein said determining whether the specified mapping of data objects to storage resources is valid comprises validating the mapping against best practices of the application.

19. The method of claim 12,

wherein the one or more storage resources comprise one or more volumes;

wherein the user input received to the graphical user interface specifies a mapping of one or more data objects associated with the application to one or more volumes.

20. The method of claim 12,

wherein the graphical user interface comprises a series of panels to guide the user through creation of the storage configuration in a wizard-like manner.

21. The method of claim 12,

wherein the plurality of data objects associated with the application include one or more of:

one or more files; and

/or

one or more databases.

22. A computer-accessible memory medium for determining a storage configuration for an application, wherein the memory medium comprises program instructions executable by a processor to:

display a graphical user interface for guiding a user through creation of the storage configuration;

receive user input to the graphical user interface, wherein the user input specifies one or more of;

properties of the storage configuration or properties of the application, wherein the user input received to the graphical user interface specifies a mapping of one or more data objects associated with the application to one or more storage resources of the one or more storage devices;

determine whether the specified mapping of data objects to storage resources is valid;

determine the storage configuration based on the user input received to the graphical user interface using the specified mapping of data objects to storage resources if the mapping is valid;

wherein the storage configuration specifies a storage layout for a plurality of data objects associated with the application.

23. The computer-accessible memory medium of claim 22, further comprising program instructions executable to:

implement the storage configuration, wherein said implementing the storage configuration comprises storing the plurality of data objects associated with the application according to the storage layout specified by the storage configuration.

24. The computer-accessible memory medium of claim 22, further comprising program instructions executable to:

store the storage configuration in one of a file or a database.

25. The computer-accessible memory medium of claim 22,

wherein the computer-accessible memory medium further comprises program instructions executable to:

display information indicating that the specified mapping of data objects to storage resources is not valid if the mapping is not valid.

26. The computer-accessible memory medium of claim 22,

wherein the one or more storage resources comprise one or more volumes;

wherein the user input received to the graphical user interface specifies a mapping of one or more data objects associated with the application to one or more volumes.

27. The computer-accessible memory medium of claim 22,

wherein the graphical user interface comprises a series of panels to guide the user through creation of the storage configuration in a wizard-like manner.

28. The computer-accessible memory medium of claim 22,

wherein the plurality of data objects associated with the application include one or more of:

one or more files; and

/or

one or more databases.

29. The computer-accessible memory medium of claim 22,

wherein said determining whether the specified mapping of data objects to storage resources is valid comprises determining whether storage resources specified by the mapping have sufficient storage capacity to hold the specified data objects.

30. The computer-accessible memory medium of claim 22,

wherein said determining whether the specified mapping of data objects to storage resources is valid comprises validating the mapping against best practices of the application.