Inter-process communication management

• US 8,407,720 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2010
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Peter, Joyce, Scott E., Lazar, Gregory W., Ballantyne, Robert A., Martin, Bryant C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Andy
• Application Number:
  US12/751,008
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• Field of Search: 719/313, 709/227, 709/229
• US Class Current: 719/313
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0604 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication

Abstract

Inter-process communication management allows a first data storage system management application to execute a second data storage system management application. For example, when a user directs a client device to execute a second application while executing a first application, the client device establishes an inter-process communication (IPC) channel between the two applications to allow for security and navigation commands to be passed from the first application to the second application. With such a configuration, the first application does not require the user to re-enter information, such as a target IP address, and encrypted password to execute the second application. In one arrangement, the IPC channel is configured to detect the termination of either the first or the second application. Once detected, the client device can safely terminate the IPC channel between the two applications and execute the remaining, non-terminated application as a standalone product.

Claims

1. A method for managing data storage system management applications, comprising

executing, by a client device, a first data storage system management application;

receiving, by the client device, an execution instruction for execution of a second data storage system management application;

establishing, by the client device and in response to receiving the execution instruction, an inter-process communication channel between the first data storage system management application and the second data storage system management application;

providing, by the client device, data storage system information utilized by the first data storage system management application to the second data storage system management application via the intercommunications channel; and

executing, by the client device, the second data storage system management application to establish communication with the data storage system utilizing the data storage system information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing, by the client device, data storage system information utilized by the first data storage system management application to the second data storage system management application via the inter-process communication channel comprises providing, by the client device, navigation information related to the data storage system and security information relating to the data storage system, utilized by the first data storage system management application, to the second data storage system management application via the intercommunications channel.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein providing, by the client device, navigation information related to the data storage system and security information relating to the data storage system, utilized by the first data storage system management application, to the second data storage system management application via the inter-process communication channel comprises providing, by the client device, an Internet Protocol address associated with the data storage system and a security credential associated with the data storage system, a utilized by the first data storage system management application, to the second data storage system management application via the intercommunications channel.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein executing, by the client device, the second data storage system management application to establish communication with the data storage system utilizing the data storage system information, comprises:

establishing, by the client device and on behalf of the second data storage system management application, a communication channel with the data storage system using the Internet Protocol address; and

validating, by the client device, the second data storage system management application to the data storage system using the security credential.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising:

terminating, by the client device, the inter-process communication channel between the first data storage system management application and the second data storage system management application; and

maintaining, by the client device, execution of the first data storage system management application and the second data storage system management application following termination of the intercommunications channel.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving, by the client device, a termination instruction configured to terminate execution of a selected one of the first data storage system management application and the second data storage system management application;

terminating, by the client device, operation of the selected one of the first data storage system management application and the second data storage system management application; and

maintaining, by the client device, operation of the non-selected one of the first data storage system management application and the second data storage system management application.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

receiving, by the client device, the execution instruction for execution of the second data storage system management application comprises receiving, by the client device, the execution instruction for execution of the second data storage system management application in response to execution of an action component via the first data storage system management application.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising:

receiving, by the client device, a subsequent execution instruction for the second data storage system management application through the first data storage system management application via a graphical user interface associated with the first data storage system management application; and

navigating, by the client device, to a graphical user interface associated with the second data storage system management application from graphical user interface associated with the first data storage system management application.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein executing, by the client device, the second data storage system management application to establish communication with the data storage system utilizing the data storage system information comprises executing, by the client device, the second data storage system management application to establish communication with the data storage system utilizing the data storage system information while maintaining operation of the first data storage system management application.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one communications interface; and

a controller which includes a processor and memory, the controller being electrically coupled to the at least one communications interface wherein the controller is configured to;

execute a first data storage system management application;

receive an execution instruction for execution of a second data storage system management application;

establish, in response to receiving the execution instruction, an inter-process communication channel between the first data storage system management application and the second data storage system management application;

provide data storage system information utilized by the first data storage system management application to the second data storage system management application via the intercommunications channel; and

execute the second data storage system management application to establish communication with the data storage system utilizing the data storage system information.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein when providing data storage system information utilized by the first data storage system management application to the second data storage system management application via the inter-process communication channel the controller is configured to provide navigation information related to the data storage system and security information relating to the data storage system, utilized by the first data storage system management application, to the second data storage system management application via the intercommunications channel.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein when providing navigation information related to the data storage system and security information relating to the data storage system, utilized by the first data storage system management application, to the second data storage system management application via the inter-process communication channel the controller is configured to provide an Internet Protocol address associated with the data storage system and a security credential associated with the data storage system, a utilized by the first data storage system management application, to the second data storage system management application via the intercommunications channel.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein when executing the second data storage system management application to establish communication with the data storage system utilizing the data storage system information, the controller is configured to:

establish on behalf of the second data storage system management application a communication channel with the data storage system using the Internet Protocol address; and

validate the second data storage system management application to the data storage system using the security credential.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to:

terminate the inter-process communication channel between the first data storage system management application and the second data storage system management application; and

maintain execution of the first data storage system management application and the second data storage system management application following termination of the intercommunications channel.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to:

receive a termination instruction configured to terminate execution of a selected one of the first data storage system management application and the second data storage system management application;

terminate operation of the selected one of the first data storage system management application and the second data storage system management application; and

maintain operation of the non-selected one of the first data storage system management application and the second data storage system management application.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein when receiving the execution instruction for execution of the second data storage system management application, the controller is configured to receive the execution instruction for execution of the second data storage system management application in response to execution of an action component via the first data storage system management application.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to:

receive a subsequent execution instruction for the second data storage system management application through the first data storage system management application via a graphical user interface associated with the first data storage system management application; and

navigate to a graphical user interface associated with the second data storage system management application from graphical user interface associated with the first data storage system management application.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to, when executing the second data storage system management application to establish communication with the data storage system utilizing the data storage system information, execute the second data storage system management application to establish communication with the data storage system utilizing the data storage system information while maintaining operation of the first data storage system management application.

19. A computer program product having a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer program logic encoded thereon that, when performed on a controller of an apparatus causes the apparatus to:

execute a first data storage system management application;

receive an execution instruction for execution of a second data storage system management application;

establish, in response to receiving the execution instruction, an inter-process communication channel between the first data storage system management application and the second data storage system management application;

provide data storage system information utilized by the first data storage system management application to the second data storage system management application via the intercommunications channel; and

execute the second data storage system management application to establish communication with the data storage system utilizing the data storage system information.

20. A computer program product as in claim 19 wherein the apparatus, when providing the data storage system information utilized by the first data storage system management application to the second data storage system management application via the inter-process communication channel, provides navigation information related to the data storage system and security information relating to the data storage system, utilized by the first data storage system management application, to the second data storage system management application via the intercommunications channel.