Techniques for device user interfaces

• US 9,519,425 B1
• Filed: 06/28/2010
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Wood, Douglas W., Cox, Timothy J., Parenti, Mark, Todd, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Baderman, Scott
• Assistant Examiner(s): Velez-Lopez, Mario M
• Application Number:
  US12/803,470
• Time in Patent Office: 2,360 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• 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 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

Described are techniques for data storage management. A proxy agent obtains information regarding a state of one or more data storage systems being managed. The information is communicated by the proxy agent to a first gadget for data storage management on a first device. The first gadget is included in an integrated user interface framework.

Claims

1. A method for data storage management comprising:

obtaining, by a proxy agent, information regarding a state of one or more data storage systems being managed;

communicating said information from said proxy agent to a first gadget for data storage management on a first device used by a first user, said first gadget being included in an integrated user interface framework; and

providing, using the first gadget and said information, a first user interface that is customized for display on the first device for the first user, wherein said first user interface is determined in accordance with first parameters including parameters identifying the first device and the integrated user interface framework of the first device, wherein the integrated user interface framework is a customizable computing environment, wherein said proxy agent performs first processing that determines customized user interface content for a plurality of supported integrated user interface frameworks and for a plurality of electronic devices including the first device, said plurality of supported integrated user interface frameworks including the integrated user interface framework, wherein each of the plurality of supported integrated user interface frameworks is used to customize a user interface on at least one of the plurality of electronic devices, said plurality of electronic devices including a computer system and a mobile phone, wherein each of the plurality of supported integrated user interface frameworks provides for retrieving selected content from a plurality of disparate electronic sources including at least one network location that is external from said each supported integrated user interface framework.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating said information from said proxy agent to a second gadget for data storage management on a second of the plurality of electronic devices, said second gadget being included in a second of the plurality of supported integrated user interface frameworks.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said first device is used by the first user having a first level of expertise and said second device is used by a second user having a second level of expertise different from said first level.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

selecting a first portion of the information in accordance with the first level of expertise and said first device; and

providing, using said first gadget, the first user interface on the first device, said first user interface including said first portion of the information and one or more options in accordance with the first level of expertise.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

selecting a second portion of the information in accordance with the second level of expertise and said second device; and

providing, using said second gadget, a second user interface on the second device, said second user interface including said second portion of the information and one or more options in accordance with the second level of expertise.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

installing said first gadget in the integrated user interface framework on said first device; and

configuring said proxy agent and said first gadget to manage said one or more data storage systems, said configuring including providing said proxy agent with an address for each of said one or more data storage systems being managed, configuring said first gadget to communicate with said proxy agent by providing said first gadget with an address of a component on which said proxy agent is located, and determining an initial level of expertise for the first user of said first device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user uses a multiple ones of the plurality of devices including said first device, each of said multiple ones of the plurality of devices using a different one of the plurality of supported integrated user interface frameworks including a gadget installed thereon for data storage system management of said one or more data storage systems, said gadget of each of multiple ones of said plurality of devices configured to communicate with said proxy agent, and the method further comprising:

storing, in a data container, user information indicating that said first user has a first level of expertise; and

providing, for each of said multiple ones of the plurality of devices using the gadget of said each device, a customized user interface for the first user in accordance with the first level of expertise and said each device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

updating said user information to indicate that said first user has a second level of expertise; and

providing, for each of said multiple ones of the plurality of devices using the gadget of said each device, a customized user interface for the first user in accordance with the second level of expertise.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said proxy agent is included on a server.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said proxy agent is included on at least a first of the one or more data storage systems.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said first gadget is included in a directory on one of said data storage systems.

12. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

updating a current expertise level for said first user from said first level of expertise to said second level of expertise; and

in response to said updating the current level of expertise, automatically updating said first user interface on the first device in accordance with the second level of expertise.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said first user interface is updated in accordance with said second level of expertise to include at least one of additional information, a new menu, and a new menu option not otherwise included in said first user interface in accordance with said first level of expertise.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said integrated user interface framework provides a customized and integrated view of information for a user of said first device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said integrated user interface framework is any of a customizable computing desktop environment, a customizable web page portal, a customizable application interface, and a customizable device user interface.

16. The method of claim 4, wherein said first user interface is further customized in accordance with at least one of an application for which data storage system management is performed and an operation or task for which data storage system management is performed.

17. The method of claim 4, wherein said first user interface varies in accordance with first user information for said first user, said first user information including said first level of expertise, a role associated with said first user, an application for which said first user performs data storage management, and a task or operation which said first user has permission to perform.

18. A system comprising:

one or more data storage systems;

a first device having a first processor and including a first integrated user interface framework having a first plurality of gadgets installed thereon, said first plurality of gadgets including a first gadget for data storage management of said one or more data storage systems;

a second device having a second processor and including a second integrated user interface framework having a second plurality of gadgets installed thereon, said second plurality of gadgets including a second gadget for data storage management of said one or more data storage systems;

a computer readable medium including executable code stored thereon for a proxy agent that communicates with said one or more data storage systems, communicates with said first device, and communicates with said second device; and

a memory comprising a data container of user information for a plurality of users, said user information for a first of said plurality of users including a level of expertise of said first user, wherein said proxy agent provides a first user interface to said first gadget for said first user when said first user uses said first device, wherein said first user interface is customized for display on the first device for the first user and is determined in accordance with first parameters including parameters identifying the first device, the first integrated user interface framework that is a customizable computing environment, and said level of expertise of the first user, and wherein said proxy agent provides a second user interface to said second gadget for said first user when said first user uses said second device, wherein said second user interface is customized for display on the second device for the first user and is determined in accordance with second parameters including parameters identifying the second device, the second integrated user interface framework, and said level of expertise of the first user, wherein said proxy agent performs first processing that determines customized user interface content in an associated form or presentation for a plurality of electronic devices and a plurality of supported integrated user interface frameworks, said plurality of electronic devices including the first device and the second device, the plurality of supported integrated user interface frameworks including the first integrated user interface framework and the second integrated user interface framework, wherein each of the plurality of supported integrated user interface frameworks is used to customize a user interface on at least one of the plurality of electronic devices, said plurality of electronic devices including a computer system and a mobile phone, wherein each of the plurality of supported integrated user interface frameworks provides for retrieving selected content from a plurality of disparate electronic sources including at least one network location that is external from said each supported integrated user interface framework.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said one or more data storage systems include a data storage array.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising code stored thereon that, when executed, performs a method for data storage management comprising:

obtaining, by a proxy agent, information regarding a state of one or more data storage systems being managed;

communicating said information from said proxy agent to a first gadget for data storage management on a first device used by a first user, said first gadget being included in an integrated user interface framework; and

providing, using the first gadget and said information, a first user interface that is customized for display on the first device for the first user, wherein said first user interface is determined in accordance with first parameters including parameters identifying the first device and the integrated user interface framework of the first device, wherein the integrated user interface framework is a customizable computing environment, wherein said proxy agent performs first processing that determines customized user interface content for a plurality of supported integrated user interface frameworks and for a plurality of electronic devices including the first device, said plurality of supported integrated user interface frameworks including the integrated user interface framework, wherein each of the plurality of supported integrated user interface frameworks is used to customize a user interface on at least one of the plurality of electronic devices, said plurality of electronic devices including a computer system and a mobile phone, wherein each of the plurality of supported integrated user interface frameworks provides for retrieving selected content from a plurality of disparate electronic sources including at least one network location that is external from said each supported integrated user interface framework.