User interface for a storage network

• US 20050154989A1
• Filed: 01/14/2004
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Maddocks, Steven, Dicorpo, Jeffrey, Turpin, Gregory
• Application Number:
  US10/757,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20050154989A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/735
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

User interface for a storage network and methods of operation. In an exemplary implementation, a storage network comprises an automated storage system including data access drives and transfer robotics. An interface manager is communicatively coupled to each of the data access drives and transfer robotics, the interface manager aggregating configuration information for the data access drives and transfer robotics in the automated storage system. An interface application is provided in computer-readable storage at the interface manager, the interface application generating user interface rendering data for the configuration information. A graphical user interface is operatively associated with the interface application, the graphical user interface outputting the configuration information in accordance with the user interface rendering data.

Claims

1. A storage network comprising:

an automated storage system including data access drives and transfer robotics;

an interface manager communicatively coupled to each of the data access drives and transfer robotics, the interface manager aggregating configuration information for the data access drives and transfer robotics in the automated storage system;

an interface application provided in computer-readable storage at the interface manager, the interface application generating user interface rendering data for the configuration information; and

a graphical user interface operatively associated with the interface application, the graphical user interface outputting the configuration information in accordance with the user interface rendering data.

2. The storage network of claim 1 wherein the interface application receives the configuration information from a management pipeline at the interface manager.

3. The storage network of claim 1 wherein the interface application includes a state machine to determine a state of the data access drives and transfer robotics based at least in part on the configuration information.

4. The storage network of claim 1 wherein the interface application includes a render engine to generate the user interface rendering data.

5. The storage network of claim 1 wherein the graphical user interface displays a logical map of the data access drives and transfer robotics.

6. The storage network of claim 1 wherein the graphical user interface displays access permissions for the data access drives and transfer robotics in a table format.

7. The storage network of claim 1 wherein the graphical user interface receives user input to change access permissions for the data access drives and transfer robotics.

8. In an automated storage system linked to a graphical user interface including a display and a user interface selection device, a method comprising:

aggregating configuration information at an interface manager for a plurality of system devices in the automated storage system;

generating user interface rendering data at the interface manager; and

displaying the configuration information in an application window at the graphical user interface in accordance with the user interface rendering data.

9. The automated storage system of claim 8 wherein the method further comprises displaying the configuration information in the application window as a logical map of the system devices.

10. The automated storage system of claim 8 wherein the method further comprises displaying access permissions for the system devices in the application window.

11. The automated storage system of claim 8 wherein the method further comprises receiving user input in the application window and updating the application window based on the user input.

12. The automated storage system of claim 8 wherein the method further comprises receiving management commands for the system devices based on user input at the application window.

13. The automated storage system of claim 8 wherein the method further comprises copying all access permissions for a first host selection to a second host selection in the application window.

14. The automated storage system of claim 8 wherein the method further comprises removing all access permissions for at least one host selection in the application window.

15. The automated storage system of claim 8 wherein the method further comprises copying all access permissions for a first device selection to a second device selection in the application window.

16. The automated storage system of claim 8 wherein the method further comprises removing all access permissions for at least one device selection in the application window.

17. A method comprising:

aggregating configuration information for a plurality of system devices in a storage system;

generating user interface rendering data; and

displaying the configuration information as a logical map of the system devices at a graphical user interface in accordance with the user interface rendering data.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising receiving user selections from the graphical user interface to edit access permissions to the system devices.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the user selections include copying and pasting access permissions for a first host to a second host.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the user selections include copying and pasting access permissions for a first system device to a second system device.