System and method for selective installation of one or more components for a data storage management system

• US 7,587,715 B1
• Filed: 12/31/2002
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Martin, Sylvia, Nordenberg, Victoria, Fisher, Michel F., Barrett, Christopher M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen; Wei Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): WANG, RONGFA PHILIP
• Application Number:
  US10/335,509
• Time in Patent Office: 2,443 Days
• Field of Search: 717168-172, 717174-178
• US Class Current: 717/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

This invention is a system and method for local and/or remote installing, uninstalling, or upgrading components of a data storage management system, and may include an ability to control the installation from a central location in accordance with rules and protocol for order and number of components.

Claims

1. A method for installing software components of a data storage management system, the method comprising:

providing an install button on a console;

wherein the console has a display for managing of a data storage environment, the data storage environment comprising a plurality of computers and a data storage system, the data storage system comprising a plurality of storage devices;

displaying a second plurality of computers of the plurality of computers and a plurality of software components on the console;

wherein the data storage management system for managing the data storage environment comprises the plurality of software components;

selectively installing software components of the data storage management system locally on one or more computers included as part of the data storage management system or remotely from the console by selecting one or more computers presented on the display, wherein the one or more computers presented on the display are displayed in response to the selection of an operating system and the selection of one or more software components on the display;

wherein the operating system of the one or more computers displayed matches the operating system of the selection of the one or more software components;

enabling a selected software component to be installed on a third plurality of computers by a click of the install button and clicking the install button; and

installing a database that is a repository representative of current and historical data of said storage environment and a first software component of the data storage management system,

wherein the repository includes tabular data entries selected ones of which are populated by a user that are used to function in a state machine capacity to enforce rules and order of installation of other software components of the data storage management system, without further user intervention, wherein selected ones of said tabular data entries are indicated to be sharable and shared between selected ones of said software components.

2. The method of claim 1, further including server software for the data storage management system that is installed following the installation of the repository and the order of installation is enforced by using the tabular data entries in the repository.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the tabular data entries are updated as the software components are installed in the data storage management system and these tabular data entries are used to identify software components installed in the data storage management system.

4. The method of claim 2, including steps executed prior to the state machine function completing the installation of the software components, the steps including:

selecting software components of the data storage management system at the console'"'"'s display for installation on at least one designated host computer in the data storage environment, wherein the host computer is located remote from the console;

responsive to the selection of the software component on the at least one designated host computer, the server sending information to the remotely located host computer that includes information needed for installation of the software component; and

responsive to the receipt of the information at the at least one designated host computer, installing the software component.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein following the installation of the component, the following steps are included:

selecting a software component of the data storage management system at the console'"'"'s display for upgrading on at least one designated host computer in a data storage environment, wherein the host computer is located remote from the console;

responsive to the selection of the software component on the at least one designated host computer, the server sending information to the remotely located host computer that includes information needed for upgrading the software component; and

responsive to the receipt of the information at the at least one designated host computer, upgrading the software component.

6. A data storage management system comprising a plurality of devices and including computer-executable code for installation of software components of a data storage management system, the data storage management system comprising:

a server comprising a memory and a processor;

a console having a display for managing of a data storage environment, the display including an install button;

wherein the console has a display for managing of a data storage environment, the data storage environment comprising a plurality of computers and a data storage system, the data storage system comprising a plurality of storage devices;

wherein the data storage management system for managing the data storage environment comprises a plurality of software components; and

computer-executable code configured for enabling the following steps;

selectively installing software components of the data storage management system locally on computers included as part of the data storage management system or remotely from the console by selecting computers on the display, wherein the computers presented on the display are displayed in response to the selection of an operating system and the selection of the software components displayed on the console;

wherein the operating system of the one or more computers displayed matches the operating system of the selection of the one or more software components;

enabling one or more software component to be installed on a third plurality of computers by a click of the install button; and

installing a database that is a repository representative of current and historical data of said storage environment and a first software component of the data storage management system, the repository includes tabular data entries, selected ones of which are—

populated by a user, that are used to function in a state machine capacity to enforce rules and order of installation of other software components of the data storage management system, without further user intervention, wherein selected ones of said tabular data entries are indicated to be sharable and shared between selected ones of said software components.

7. The system of claim 6, further including server software for the data storage management system that is installed following the installation of the repository and the order of installation is enforced by using the tabular data entries in the repository.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the tabular data entries are updated as the software components are installed in the data storage management system and these tabular data entries are used to identify software components installed in the data storage management system.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the computer-executable code enables:

selecting a software component of the data storage management system at the console'"'"'s display for installation on at least one designated host computer in the data storage environment, wherein the host computer is located remote from the console;

responsive to the selection of the software component on the at least one designated host computer, the server sending information to the remotely located host computer that includes information needed for installation of the software component; and

responsive to the receipt of the information at the at least one designated host computer, installing the software component.

10. A computer program product for installation of software components of a data storage management system including a server and a console having a display for managing a data storage management system, the computer program product comprising:

a tangible computer readable storage medium including computer-executable code configured for enabling the following steps;

displaying an install button on the console;

wherein the console has a display for managing of a data storage environment, the data storage environment comprising a plurality of computers and a data storage system, the data storage system comprising a plurality of storage devices;

wherein the data storage management system for managing the data storage environment comprises a plurality of software components;

selectively installing software components of the data storage management system locally on computers included as part of the data storage management system or remotely from the console by selecting computers on the display, wherein the computers and software components are displayed on the console, further wherein the computers are displayed in response to the selection of an operating system and the selection of the software components displayed;

wherein the operating system of the one or more computers displayed matches the operating system of the selection of the one or more software components;

enabling one or more software component to be installed on a plurality of computers by a click of the install button; and

installing a database that is a repository representative of current and historical data of said storage environment and a first software component of the data storage management system, wherein the repository includes tabular data entries selected ones of which are—

populated by a user, that are used to function in a state machine capacity to enforce rules and order of installation of other software components of the data storage management system, without further user intervention, wherein selected ones of said tabular data entries are indicated to be sharable and shared between selected ones of said software components tabular data entries are indicated to be sharable and shared between selected ones of said software components.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, further including server software for the data storage management system that is installed following the installation of the repository and the order of installation is enforced by using the tabular data entries in the repository.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the tabular data entries are updated as the software components are installed in the data storage management system and these tabular data entries are used to identify software components installed in the data storage management system.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer-executable code enables:

selecting a software component of the data storage management system at the console'"'"'s display for installation on at least one designated host computer in the data storage environment, wherein the host computer is located remote from the console;

responsive to the selection of the software component on the at least one designated host computer, the server sending information to the remotely located host computer that includes information needed for installation of the software component; and

responsive to the receipt of the information at the at least one designated host computer, installing the software component.

14. An apparatus for installation of software components of a data storage management system including a server and a console having a display for managing of a data storage environment, the data storage environment comprising a plurality of computers and a data storage system, the data storage system comprising a plurality of storage devices;

the apparatus comprising;

a memory and a processor;

means for enabling selective installation of software components of the data storage management system, the data storage management system for managing the data storage environment comprises a plurality of software components, locally on computers included as part of the data storage management system or remotely from the console, the means including an install button displayed on the console by selecting computers on the display, wherein the computers and software components are displayed on the console, wherein the computers are displayed in response to the selection of an operating system and the selection of the software components displayed;

wherein the operating system of the one or more computers displayed matches the operating system of the selection of the one or more software components;

means for enabling one or more software component to be installed on a plurality of computers by a click of the install button; and

means for installing a database, which is denoted as a repository representative of current and historical data of said data storage environment and a first software component of the data storage management system, wherein the repository includes tabular data entries, selected ones of which are populated by a user, that are used to function in a state machine capacity to enforce rules and order of installation of other software components of the data storage management system, without further user intervention, wherein selected ones of said tabular data entries are indicated to be sharable and shared between selected ones of said software components.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein server software for the data storage management system is installed following the installation of the repository and the order of installation is enforced by using the tabular data entries in the repository.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the tabular data entries are updated as software components are installed in the data storage management system and these tabular data entries are used to identify software components installed in the data storage management system.