Patent Publication Number: US-2004059816-A1

Title: Computer management system and management program

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates to a method of visualizing the connection relationships between a storage system and an object computer that is an object of management which is implemented in a management computer.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art  
       [0004] In recent years, a storage network having a storage system and a computer interconnected has accommodated a management computer responsible for management. Management software dedicated to the storage network is installed in the management computer in order to grasp the complex connection relationships among devices (refer to, for example, Patent Document 1: Abstract of U.S. Pat. No. 6,253,240). The management computer runs the management software, whereby the connection relationships among a plurality of data processing devices interconnected over the storage network can be visualized.  
       [0005] A procedure of visualizing the connection relationships among a plurality of devices interconnected over the storage network, which is implemented in conventional management software, will be described below.  
       [0006] First, the management software acquires equipment identifiers inherent to an object computer and a storage system, which are connected to an interconnection device connected to a management computer, from the interconnection device. Thereafter, the management software acquires the equipment identifiers and an equipment identifier assigned to a data processing device connected to the management computer, from the data processing device. The management software then visualizes the connection relationships within the network according to the acquired information.  
       [0007] The conventional management software uses a unit for acquiring equipment identifiers from a data processing device to acquire equipment identifiers from the connected data processing device. The object computer runs an agent program that acts as the unit for acquiring an equipment identifier, and thus acquires the equipment identifier of the connected data processing device.  
       [0008] The management software cannot therefore acquire an identifier of a data processing device, which is included in an object computer, from the object computer unless the agent program is installed (or can be installed) in the object computer. In particular, the management software cannot acquire an identifier of a data processing device included in an object computer in which the agent program is not installed and which is directly connected to the management computer without intervention of an interconnection device. Consequently, the conventional management software cannot acquire an identifier of a certain data processing device and may not be able to visualize the connection relationships within a network.  
       [0009] Moreover, the agent program deteriorates the ability of a computer to run certain transaction software that is one of the principal objects of a computer because the agent program consumes computer resources including a memory and a CPU incorporated in a computer. Furthermore, the cost required for introduction and maintenance of the agent program increases in proportion to the number of computers. Furthermore, the agent program is inherent to management software and dependent on features included in a computer platform. Management software developers must develop an agent program for each platform. This leads to the high cost of development.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the foregoing problems and to provide management software, a management computer, and a management method capable of visualizing the connection relationships among a plurality of devices interconnected over a storage network without the necessity of implementing a connection information acquiring unit in an object computer.  
       [0011] Management software uses an identify inherent to a data processing device to grasp a connection relationship. For example, according to a fibre channel (FC) application for storage area network (SAN), a worldwide name (WWN) is adopted as an identifier. The WWN is represented by an integer of 64 bits associated with an FC communication port or a data processing device. Moreover, the Internet small computer systems interface (iSCSI) protocol stipulates the employment of an iSCSI name as an identifier. Furthermore, in a storage network adopting the transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) such as the iSCSI, iFCP, or NAS, an IP address assigned to a communication port may be used as an identifier.  
       [0012] Moreover, the communications protocols including the FCP and iSCSI define a procedure of establishing a data communications link between data processing devices so as to permit intended data communication. What is referred to as intended data communication signifies access to a storage system gained by a computer (for storage of data in the storage system or fetch thereof from the storage system). The FCP defines a procedure called a port login as the above sort of procedure. The iSCSI defines a procedure called an iSCSI login. Some protocols do not require the procedure. In this specification, a state in which a procedure of terminating intended data communication is completed, or a state in which an established link for communication cannot be sustained because of a physical disconnection between devices caused by a fault occurring in a device among devices connected to the storage network shall be expressed as a state in which “a data communications link is lost.” According to a procedure of establishing a data communications link, identifiers assigned to communication ports of connected data processing devices are transmitted to the partner devices of communication.  
       [0013] A computer system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention comprises an object computer, a storage system in which data to be communicated to the object computer is stored, and a management computer that manages the storage system and object computer. The storage system includes: an acquisition unit that acquires first connection information, which contains an identifier assigned to the communication port of the computer and an identifier assigned to the communication port of the storage system, from the object computer; and a communication unit that transmits the first connection information to the management computer. The management computer includes a communication unit that receives the first connection information from the storage system, and a display that uses the output screen thereof to visualize the connection relationships between the storage system and computer according to the first connection information. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0014]FIG. 1 shows a computer system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0015]FIG. 2 shows the internal configuration of a storage system;  
     [0016]FIG. 3 shows the internal configuration of the storage system;  
     [0017]FIG. 4 shows communication port information concerning the storage system;  
     [0018]FIG. 5 shows connection information concerning the storage system;  
     [0019]FIG. 6 shows communication port information concerning the storage system;  
     [0020]FIG. 7 shows connection information concerning the storage system;  
     [0021]FIG. 8 shows the internal configuration of a management computer;  
     [0022]FIG. 9 shows a connection relationship diagram produced by the first embodiment;  
     [0023]FIG. 10 shows integrated connection information preserved in the management computer included in the first embodiment;  
     [0024]FIG. 11 describes an overall processing flow according to which management software included in the first embodiment displays a connection relationship diagram;  
     [0025]FIG. 12 describes a processing flow according to which the management software acquires connection information from the storage system so as to produce integrated connection information;  
     [0026]FIG. 13 describes a processing flow according to which the management software displays a connection relationship diagram on the basis of the integrated connection information;  
     [0027]FIG. 14 shows information concerning the computer contained in the integrated connection information;  
     [0028]FIG. 15 shows a connection relationship diagram that contains a graphic expressing the computer and that is produced by the first embodiment;  
     [0029]FIG. 16 shows a connection relationship diagram produced by a second embodiment;  
     [0030]FIG. 17 shows the internal configuration of an interconnection device;  
     [0031]FIG. 18 shows the internal configuration of a management computer included in the second embodiment;  
     [0032]FIG. 19 shows connection information preserved in the interconnection device;  
     [0033]FIG. 20 shows information concerning the interconnection device which is contained in integrated connection information;  
     [0034]FIG. 21 describes a processing flow according to which management software included in the second embodiment displays a connection relationship diagram;  
     [0035]FIG. 22 describes a processing flow according to which the management software acquires information from the interconnection device so as to produce integrated connection information; and  
     [0036]FIG. 23 describes a processing flow according to which the management software included in the second embodiment displays a connection relationship diagram on the basis of the integrated connection information. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0037] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below. According to the first embodiment, management software visualizes the connection relationships between a storage system and a computer on the basis of connection information acquired from the storage system.  
     [0038]FIG. 1 shows a computer system in accordance with the first embodiment.  
     [0039] The computer system shown in FIG. 1 comprises: a storage system  1000  having communication ports  1010  to  1012  and a management communication port  1080 ; a storage system  1100  having communication ports  1110  to  1112  and a management communication port  1180 ; a management computer  200  having a communication port  260  and having a display  210  and an input device  220  connected thereto; an interconnection device  300  having communication ports  310  to  315  and a management communication port  330 ; a computer  400  having communication ports  410  and  411 ; a computer  401  having a communication port  412 ; a computer  402  having communication ports  413  and  414 ; a network  500 ; and communication paths  600  to  607 .  
     [0040] The communication port  410  of the computer  400  is connected to the communication port  1010  of the storage system  1000  over the communication path  600 . The communication port  411  of the computer  400  is connected to the communication port  1011  of the storage system  1000  over the communication path  601 .  
     [0041] The communication port  310  of the interconnection device  300  is connected to the communication port  412  of the computer  401  over the communication path  602 . The communication port  311  is connected to the communication port  413  of the computer  402  over the communication path  603 . The communication port  312  is connected to the communication port  414  of the computer  402  over the communication path  604 . The communication port  313  is connected to the communication port  1012  of the storage system  1000  over the communication path  605 . The communication port  314  is connected to the communication port  1110  of the storage system  1100  over the communication path  606 . The communication port  315  is connected to the communication port  1112  of the storage system  1100  over the communication path  607 .  
     [0042] The computer  400  accesses the storage system  1000  using the communication paths  600  and  601 .  
     [0043] The computer  401  accesses the storage system  1100  only. For the access, the computer  401  uses the communication paths  602  and  605 .  
     [0044] The computer  402  accesses the storage systems  1000  and  1100 . The computer  402  uses the communication paths  603  and  605  to access the storage system  1000 , and uses the communication paths  603 ,  604 , and  607  to access the storage system  1100 .  
     [0045] The communication ports  310  to  315  of the interconnection device  300  are discriminated from one another with respective communication port identifiers FC 20 , FC 21 , FC 22 , FC 23 , FC 23 , and FC 25 .  
     [0046] The communication ports  410  and  411  of the computer  400  are discriminated from each other with respective communication port identifiers CH 00  and CH 01 .  
     [0047] The communication port  412  of the computer  401  is identified with a communication port identifier FC 00 .  
     [0048] The communication ports  413  and  414  of the computer  402  are discriminated from each other with respective communication port identifiers FC 10  and FC 11 .  
     [0049] The communication ports  1010  and  1011  of the storage system  1000  are discriminated from each other with respective communication port identifiers CH 10  and CH 11 , and the communication port  1012  is identified with a communication port identifier FD 30 .  
     [0050] The communication ports  1110  to  1112  of the storage system  1100  are discriminated from one another with respective communication port identifiers FC 40 , FC 41 , and FC 42 .  
     [0051] The management communication port  1080  of the storage system  1000 , the management communication port  1180  of the storage system  1100 , the communication port  260  of the management computer  200 , and the management communication port  330  of the interconnection device  300  are connected on the network  500 . The management communication ports  1080  and  1180 , and the communication port  260  are discriminated from one another with respective communication port identifiers IP 00 , IP 10 , and IP 20 . The management communication port  330  of the interconnection system  300  is identified with a communication port identifier IP 30 .  
     [0052] The foregoing communication port identifiers are different from those assigned to actual communication ports and determined for convenience in describing the present embodiment. In practice, the communication port identifiers are determined appropriately based on a data transfer architecture adopted for communication ports and a communications protocol adopted for data communication. For example, if the fibre channel (FC) is adopted as the data transfer architecture for communication ports, the communication port identifiers are worldwide names (WWN). If the iSCSI is adopted as the communications protocol, the communication port identifiers are iSCSI names or IP addresses.  
     [0053] The storage system  1000  includes a controller  1030 , an information providing unit  1040 , connection information  1051 , a communication unit  1060 , and communication units  1070  to  1072 . Moreover, the storage system  1100  includes a controller  1130 , an information providing unit  1140 , connection information  1151 , a communication unit  1160 , and communication units  1170  to  1172 . The internal configuration of the storage systems  1000  and  1100  will be described below.  
     [0054]FIG. 2A shows the internal configuration of the storage system  1000 . The storage system  1000  includes communication port information  1050  and storage areas  1020  to  1023 , in addition to the controller  1030 , information providing unit  1040 , connection information  1051 , communication unit  1060 , and communication units  1070  to  1072 .  
     [0055] The communication ports  1010  to  1012  are assigned identifiers 0 to 2. In the storage system  1000 , the communication ports  1010  to  1012  are discriminated from one another with the identifiers. Hereinafter, the identifiers assigned to the communication ports shall be called internal communication port numbers.  
     [0056] The communication units  1070  to  1072  have communication ports  1010  to  1012  respectively, and are responsible for data communications with external computers. The communication unit  1070 ,  1071 , or  1072  receives an access request sent from an external computer over the communication path  600 ,  601 , or  605 , and the controller  1030  deals with the access request.  
     [0057] The controller  1030  appropriately stores data in any of the storage areas  1020  to  1023  in response to a data storage request sent from an external computer. Moreover, the controller  1030  appropriately reads data from any of the storage areas  1020  to  1023  in response to a data reading request sent from an external computer, and transmits the data to any of the communication units  1070  to  1072  from which the controller  1030  has received the request. The controller  1030  fills the role of specifying the connection relationships among the external computers and the communication ports  1010  to  1012  in the connection information  1051 . The role of the controller  1030  will be described in conjunction with the data format of the connection information  1051  later.  
     [0058] The information providing unit  1040  also plays the role of an acquisition unit for acquiring the connection information  1051  from the computers  400  and  402  connected to the storage system  1000 . Herein, the connection information  1051  represents the connection relationships among equipment, that is, the relationships among the communication ports  1010 ,  1011 , and  1012  of the storage system  1000  and the communication ports  410 ,  411 , and  413  of the computers  400  and  402  that are connected to the communication ports  1010 ,  1011 , and  1012  respectively.  
     [0059] The information providing unit  1040  transmits the communication port information  1050  or connection information  1051  in response to a transmission request for the communication port information  1050  or connection information  1051  from an external computer connected on the network  500 . In the series of communication steps, the communication unit  1060  is employed. The communication unit  1060  has the management communication port  1080  and is responsible for data communication with the external computers over the network  500 . Herein, the communication port information  1050  contains information concerning the communication ports  1010  to  1012 . A program for implementing the information providing unit  1040  is stored in a recording medium such as a ROM. After saved in a main storage device, the program is loaded into the storage unit included in the storage system  1000 , and run by the controller  1030 . A medium in which the program is recorded may be any recording medium other than the CD-ROM. Moreover, the program may be installed in the storage unit from the recording medium, or the recording medium may be accessed over the network in order to use the program. Moreover, the hardware configuration of the information providing unit  1040  may be determined so that the hardware of the information providing unit  1040  will operate independently of the controller  1030  included in the storage system  1000 .  
     [0060] Herein, the storage system  1000  has four communication ports, that is, the communication ports  1010  to  1012  and the management communication port  1080 . The number of communication ports will not limit storage systems to which the present invention can be adapted.  
     [0061] Moreover, the communication unit  1060  may be, similarly to the communication units  1070  to  1072 , connected to the controller  1030 . Moreover, the management communication port  1080  may be, similarly to the communication ports  1010  to  1012 , used to receive an access request from an external computer. In this case, the information providing unit  1040  uses the communication unit  1060  via the controller  1030 .  
     [0062] Furthermore, the storage system  1000  has four storage areas  1020  to  1023 . The number of storage areas will not limit storage systems to which the present invention can be adapted.  
     [0063]FIG. 3 shows the internal configuration of the storage system  1100 .  
     [0064] The storage system  1100  includes storage areas  1120  to  1123 , a controller  1130 , an information providing unit  1140 , a communication unit  1160 , communication units  1170  to  1172 , communication port information  1150 , and connection information  1051 , in addition to the communication ports  1110  to  1112  and the management communication port  1180 .  
     [0065] According to the present embodiment, the storage system  1100  has the same configuration as the storage system  1000  does. The details of the storage system  1100  will therefore be omitted. However, information concerning the communication ports  1110  to  1112  of the storage system  1100  is specified in the communication port information  1150 , and information concerning the external computers connected via the communication ports  1110  to  1112  is specified in the connection information  1151 . Moreover, the present invention can be adapted to a computer system including at least one storage system that transmits information analogous to the communication port information and connection information to external computers.  
     [0066] Similarly to those of the storage system  1000 , the communication ports  1110  to  1112  of the storage system  1100  are assigned internal communication port numbers 0 to 2. The controller  1130  included in the storage system  1100  uses the internal communication port numbers to discriminate the communication ports  1110  to  1112  from one another.  
     [0067]FIG. 4 shows the contents of the communication port information  1050 . The format of the communication port information  1050  is a table having three rows and two columns. The rows in the communication port information  1050  are associated with the communication ports  1010  to  1012 .  
     [0068] The internal communication port numbers assigned to the communication ports  1010  to  1012  of the storage system  1000  are specified as the items belonging to the rows and the first column  1200  in the communication port information  1050 . The communication port identifiers assigned to the communication ports  1010  to  1012  that are discriminated from one another with the internal communication port numbers specified in the first column are specified in the second column  1201 . For example, the third row  1202  specifies that the communication port  1012  whose internal communication port number is 2 has a communication port identifier of FC 30 .  
     [0069] Herein, the communication port information  1050  is formatted as the table having three rows and two columns. The communication port information  1050  may assume any format as long as the foregoing information concerning all communication ports via which the external computers can access the storage system  1000  can be specified. Moreover, the communication port information  1050  may have information other than the aforesaid one specified in a row or column therein.  
     [0070]FIG. 5 shows the contents of the connection information  1051  preserved in the storage system  1000 .  
     [0071] The format of the connection information  1051  is a table having three rows and four columns. Each of the rows in the connection information  1051  specifies the connection relationship between each of the communication ports  1010  to  1012  of the storage system  1000  and each of the communication ports  410  to  414  of the computers  400  to  402 .  
     [0072] The internal communication port numbers of the communication ports  1010  to  1012  are specified as the items belonging to the respective rows and the first column  1210  in the connection information  1051 . The communication port identifiers of the communication ports  410  to  414  of the computers  400  to  402  connected to the communication ports  1010  to  1012  discriminated from one another with the communication port numbers specified in the first column are specified in the second column  1211 . Character strings each expressing a communications protocol adopted for data communication between the communication ports identified with the items specified in the first and second columns are specified in the third column. Numerical values each indicating whether a communications link between the communication ports identified with the items specified in the first and second columns is established are specified in the fourth column. A value of 1 signifies that a communications link has been established, a value of 0 signifies that a communications link has been lost.  
     [0073] When the storage system and an external computer agree on a communications protocol that does not stipulate a procedure of starting communication, 1 is specified as an item of the connection information  1051  belonging to the fourth column  1213 . The third column  1214  demonstrates that the communication port  1012  of the storage system  1000  and the communication port  413  of the computer  402  agree on a communications protocol of the FCP, and have a communications link established between them.  
     [0074] When a communications link is established between any of the communication ports  1010  to  1012  and an associated one of the communication ports of the external computers, the controller  1030  specifies the fact in the connection information  1051  according to the foregoing format. At this time, if a row of items signifying that a communications link between communication ports has been lost is contained in the connection information  1051 , 1 is specified as an item belonging to both the row and the fourth column. If the row of items is not contained, a row of items signifying that a communications link between the communication ports has been established is additionally specified in the connection information  1051 . Moreover, if a communications link between any of the communication ports  1010  to  1012  and any of the communication ports of the computers is lost, 0 is specified as an item belonging to both the row indicating that the communications link between the communication ports has been established, and the fourth column.  
     [0075] The present invention is not limited to the format shown in FIG. 5. The present invention can be adapted to storage systems each having the foregoing information items that signify the connection relationships among communication ports.  
     [0076]FIG. 6 shows the contents of the communication port information  1150  preserved in the storage system  1100 . The format of the communication port information  1150  is identical to that of the communication port information  1050  preserved in the storage system  1000  shown in FIG. 4. However, the communication port information  1150  specifies information concerning the communication ports  1110  to  1112  of the storage system  1100 . Namely, the internal communication port numbers assigned to the communication ports  1110  to  1112  are specified in the first column  1220 , and the communication port identifiers assigned to the communication ports  1110  to  1112  are specified in the second column  1221 .  
     [0077]FIG. 7 shows the contents of the connection information  1151  preserved in the storage system  1100 . The format of the connection information  1151  is identical to that of the connection information  1051  preserved in the storage system  1000  shown in FIG. 5. However, the connection information  1151  specifies the connection relationship between each of the communication ports  1110  to  1112  of the storage system  1100  and each of the communication ports  410  to  414  of the computers  400  to  402  which are connected to the communication ports  1110  to  1112 .  
     [0078] Referring to the second column  1234  and the third column  1235 , 2 is specified in the first column. The two rows signify the respective connection relationships of the communication port  413  of the computer  402  and the communication port  414  thereof to the communication port  1112  identified with the internal communication port number 2. Moreover, 0 is specified as an item belonging to both the third row  1235  and the fourth column. The value of 0 signifies that no communications link is established between the communication port  1112  of the storage system  1100  and the communication port  414  of the computer  402 .  
     [0079] When the data communications link between the communication port of an external computer and any of the communication ports  1120  to  1123  of the storage system  1100  has changed, the controller  1130 , similarly to the controller  1030 , modifies the connection information  1151 .  
     [0080]FIG. 8 shows the configuration of the management computer  200 .  
     [0081] The management computer  200  comprises a main storage device  230 , a controller  240 , a storage unit  280 , and a communication unit  250 . The communication unit  250  has a communication port  260 .  
     [0082] The display  210  is a monitor which a program running in the management computer  200  uses to present information to a user. According to the present embodiment, the display  210  is used to visualize the connection relationships within the computer system.  
     [0083] The input device  220  is a user interface which a user uses to give directions to a program running in the management computer  200 , such as, a keyboard or a pointing device.  
     [0084] The main storage device  230  is a physical disk in which programs running in the management computer  200  and data to be dealt with by the programs are stored. However, the main storage device  230  is not an indispensable constituent feature of the present invention.  
     [0085] The programs (including management software  241 ) needed to validate the display  210 , input device  220 , and communication unit  250  are recorded in a recording medium such as a ROM, saved in the main storage device  230 , and then loaded to the storage unit  280 . Thereafter, the programs are run by the controller  240 . The medium in which the programs are recorded may not be a CD-ROM but any other recording medium. The programs may be installed from the recording medium to the storage unit  280 . Otherwise, the recording medium may be accessed over the network in order to use the programs. Moreover, the hardware configuration needed to validate the display  210 , input device  220 , communication unit  250 , and management software  241  may be determined so that the hardware can operate independently of the controller  240  included in the management computer  200 .  
     [0086] The management software  241  and integrated connection information  242  are stored in the storage unit  280 . The management software  241  is a program for implementing a feature of visualizing the connection relationships among the components the computer system using the display  210 . The integrated connection information  242  is information concerning the connection relationships between the computers and storage systems which the management software  241  visualizes using the display  210 . A processing flow followed by the management software  241  and the data format of the integrated connection information  242  will be described later.  
     [0087] The management software  241  uses the communication unit  250  to acquire the pieces  1050  and  1150  of communication port information and the pieces  1051  and  1151  of connection information from the storage systems  1000  and  1100 .  
     [0088]FIG. 9 shows a connection relationship diagram  1300  expressing the computer system shown in FIG. 1. The connection relationship diagram  1300  is displayed on the display  210  by the management software  241 .  
     [0089] The connection relationship diagram  1300  contains a graphic  1310  expressing the storage system  1000 , a graphic  1311  expressing the storage system  1100 , graphics  1320  to  1322  expressing the communication ports  1010  to  1012  of the storage system  1000 , graphics  1323  to  1325  expressing the communication ports  1110  to  1112  of the storage system  1100 , graphics  1330  to  1334  expressing the communication ports  410  to  414  of the computers  400  to  402 , and lines  1340  to  1345  expressing the connection relationships among the communication ports.  
     [0090] Moreover, a pointer  1350  is displayed on the display  210 . A user handles the input device  220  connected to the management computer  200  so as to change the position at which the pointer  1350  is displayed. When the user changes the position of the pointer  1350  so that the pointer will point out a graphic contained in the connection relationship diagram  1300 , the user can designate an object which the management software  241  should deal with.  
     [0091] Referring to the graphics  1310  and  1311 , Storage  0  and Storage  1  are written below the graphics. These are identifiers assigned to the storage systems and used by the management software  241 . The identifiers of the storage systems are designated by a user through a screen image displayed on the display  210  or properly produced by the management software  241 .  
     [0092] Above or below the graphics  1320  to  1322  and the graphics  1330  to  1334  which express the communication ports, the communication port identifiers assigned to the communication ports are displayed.  
     [0093] Referring to the line  1340 , the graphic  1320  expressing the communication port  1010  of the storage system  1000  is drawn at one end of the line, and the graphic  1330  expressing the communication port  410  of the computer  400  is drawn at the opposite end thereof. Each of the lines  1340  to  1345  is drawn to link the graphics expressing the communication ports. Thus, the connection relationships among the communication ports are expressed.  
     [0094] The line  1345  is a dashed line, thus specifying that the communications link between the communication port  414  and communication port  1112  has been lost. The lines  1340  to  1344  are solid lines, thus specifying that a communications link has been established between each pair of the communication ports expressed with the graphics linked by the lines.  
     [0095] In order to express connection relationships using such an expression form as the connection relationship diagram  1300 , part of the display  210  connected to the management computer  200  or the whole thereof may be employed. All connection relationships may not be visualized at a time. A method of visualizing only a user-desired part of all connection relationships may be provided. Moreover, the present invention does not limit the form of expressing connection relationships to the form of the connection relationship diagram  1300 .  
     [0096]FIG. 10 shows information specified in the integrated connection information  242  preserved in the management computer  200 .  
     [0097] Referring to FIG. 10, each of rectangles  1400  to  1418  having the corners thereof rounded expresses a block of a plurality of pieces of information specified in the integrated connection information  242 . The blocks of information are equivalent to objects created using an object-oriented programming language. Thereinafter, the blocks of information shall be called objects.  
     [0098] The objects are classified by the property of information to be held. Categories into which the objects are classified are equivalent to classes whose concept is defined by a typical object-oriented programming language such as C++. Hereinafter, the categories of objects shall be called classes.  
     [0099] Referring to FIG. 10, a character string representing the class into which each object is classified is written in the uppermost line within each rectangle expressing an object.  
     [0100] The objects contained in the integrated connection information  242  are discriminated from one another with identifiers inherent to the objects. As the identifier of an object, an address in the storage unit  280  at which the object is stored may be adopted. Moreover, the management software  241  retrieves objects that belong to a specific class and obtains the list of identifiers assigned to the objects.  
     [0101] The objects  1400  to  1410  hold information concerning the communication ports  410  to  414 ,  1010  to  1012 , and  1110  to  1112  respectively. Hereinafter, the class to which objects each holding information of a communication port shall be called a communication port class. In FIG. 10, “:port” is written in the uppermost line in a rectangle expressing each object that belongs to the communication port class. The object is associated with each communication port, and holds a communication port identifier assigned to the communication port. In FIG. 10, the lower one of two lines of character strings specified in an object represents a communication port identifier held in the object. For example, a communication port identifier of FC 11  is held in the object  1400 . The object  1400  is therefore associated with the communication port  414  of the computer  402 .  
     [0102] Hereinafter, objects belonging to the communication port class shall be called communication port objects.  
     [0103] Objects  1411  to  1416  each represent the connection relationship between communication ports. The class to which objects each representing the connection relationship between communication ports shall be called a connection relationship class. The objects belonging to the connection relationship class shall be called connection relationship objects.  
     [0104] Referring to FIG. 10, “:con” is written in the upper line in each rectangle expressing a connection relationship object.  
     [0105] The identifiers held in two communication port objects are numbered. The same identifiers as the identifiers are held together with the numbers in the connection relationship object. The identifier held in a communication port object representing a communication port of a computer connected to a storage system is numbered 0. The identifier held in a communication port object representing a communication port of the storage system is numbered 1. The numbering is achieved by numbering a pair of elements corresponding to identifiers held in objects. Namely, the first one of the pair of elements is numbered 0, and the other one thereof is numbered 1.  
     [0106] In FIG. 10, an arrow indicates that a connection relationship object holds the same identifiers as communication port objects do. A numerical value written in a square located at the start point of an arrow represents a number assigned to an identifier that is held in a connection relationship object in contact with the square and that is the same as an identifier held in a communication port object. In FIG. 10, for example, the connection relationship object  1411  holds as number 0 the same identifier as the communication port object  1400  does, and holds as number 1 the same identifier as the communication port object  1405  does.  
     [0107] Each of the connection relationship object  1411  to  1416  holds the same identifiers as two communication port object do so as to express a connection relationship between communication ports represented by the communication port objects. In order to specify a connection relationship between two communication ports as information in the integrated connection information  242 , the same identifiers as the identifiers held in the communication port objects holding the pieces of information concerning the communication ports are held in a connection relationship object.  
     [0108] Each of the connection relationship objects  1411  to  1416  also holds a character string representing a communications protocol adopted for a connection relationship represented by the object, and a value signifying whether a communications link has been established. Referring to FIG. 10, the character string representing a communications protocol and being held in each connection relationship object is written in the second line within a rectangle, and the value signifying whether a communications link has been established is written in the third line. The value signifying whether a communications link has been established is synonymous with the value that is contained in the connection information shown in FIG. 4 and that signifies whether a communications link has been established.  
     [0109] For example, the connection relationship object  1411  contains FCP as a character string representing a communications protocol, and contains 0 as a value signifying whether a communications link has been established.  
     [0110] Objects  1417  and  1418  contain information of the storage system  1100  and information of the storage system  1000  respectively. Hereinafter, the class to which objects holding information of a storage system shall be called a storage system class. An object belonging to the storage system class shall be called a storage system object. Referring to FIG. 10, “:storage” is written in the first line within a rectangle expressing a storage system object.  
     [0111] The storage system objects  1417  and  1418  each hold two pieces of information. One piece is an identifier of a storage system which is displayed on the screen  1300  below a graphic, which expresses a storage system. The other piece is a communication port identifier assigned to the management communication port of the storage system.  
     [0112] Referring to FIG. 10, an identifier of a storage system held in a storage system object is written in the second line within a rectangle expressing the storage system object. A communication port identifier assigned to the management communication port of the storage system connected on the network  500  is written in the third line.  
     [0113] Moreover, the storage system object holds the same identifiers as communication port objects do. This means that the storage system represented by the storage system object has communication ports. In other words, when a storage system object holds the same identifiers as communication port objects do, a storage system represented by the storage system object has communication ports represented by the communication port objects. Moreover, identifiers held in the communication port objects are numbered based on the internal communication port numbers assigned to the communication ports represented by the communication port objects, and held in the storage system object.  
     [0114] Referring to FIG. 10, an arrow is used to indicate that a storage system object holds, similarly to a connection relationship object, the same identifier as a communication port object does. A numerical value written within a square located at the start point of an arrow is a number assigned to an identifier that is held in the storage system object and that is the same as the identifier held in the communication port object, that is, an internal communication port number.  
     [0115] For example, in FIG. 10, the storage system object  1417  holds the same identifiers as the communication port objects  1405  to  1407  do. This reveals that the storage system  1100  has the communication ports  1113  to  1115 . Moreover, the internal communication port numbers of the communication ports  1113  to  1115  range from 0 to 3.  
     [0116]FIG. 11 describes an overall processing flow according to which management software  241  displays the connection relationship diagram  1300  on the display  210 . As described in FIG. 11, the management software  241  acquires information of a connection relationship from the storage system (step  1600 ), and displays the connection relationship diagram  1300  (step  1601 ).  
     [0117]FIG. 12 describes a processing flow according to which the management software  241  acquires connection information from the storage system so as to construct integrated connection information  242  at step  1600  in FIG. 11.  
     [0118] At step  1500 , the management software  241  acquires a list of communication port identifiers of the management communication ports of the respective storage systems included in the computer system. For the acquisition, a file which is saved in the main storage device  230  and in which the list of the communication port identifiers of the management communication ports of the respective storage systems is recorded, or the network  500  is searched. Otherwise, a user may use the input device  220  to give directions to the management software  241 . As far as the computer system shown in FIG. 1 is concerned, the management software  241  acquires the identifiers IP 00  and IP 10  of the management communication ports  1080  and  1180  of the respective storage systems  1000  and  1100 . The acquired identifiers of the management communication ports are used for data communication through which communication port information and connection information are acquired from the storage systems at steps  1503  and  1505 .  
     [0119] At step  1501 , the management software  241  selects one of the storage systems whose list is acquired at step  1500 . Steps  1501  to  1509  constitute a loop to be repeated relative to each storage system. When step  1501  is performed for the second or successive time, a storage system other than the storage system selected previously is selected.  
     [0120] At step  1502 , if a storage system object in which information of a selected storage system is held is not contained in the integrated connection information  242 , the management software  241  produces a new object. At this time, the identifier of the storage system and the communication port identifier of the management communication port are held in the storage system object.  
     [0121] Whether a storage system object representing a selected storage system is contained in the integrated connection information  242  is verified by comparing the communication port identifier of the selected storage system, which is acquired at step  1500 , with each of communication port identifiers held in all storage system objects contained in the integrated connection information  242 .  
     [0122] At step  1503 , the management software  241  acquires communication port information from the selected storage system. The management software  241  performs data communication over the network  500  so as to request the storage system to transmit communication port information. The storage system transmits the communication port information in response to the request. The management software  241  acquires the communication port information  1050  from the storage system  1000 .  
     [0123] At step  1504 , the management software  241  creates a communication port object, which represents the management communication port of the selected storage system, in the integrated connection information  242 . However, if the communication port object is already contained in the integrated connection information  242 , a new communication port object will not be created. Whether a new communication port object should be created is verified by comparing the communication port identifier of the management communication port of the storage system, which is contained in the communication port information acquired at step  1503 , with communication port identifiers held in all communication port objects contained in the integrated connection information  242 .  
     [0124] Moreover, the storage system object representing the selected storage system holds the same identifiers as the communication port objects, which represent the communication ports included in the storage system, do. At this time, the identifiers held in the communication port objects are numbered based on the internal communication port numbers of the communication ports represented by the communication port objects. If the identifiers held in the communication port objects are stored in the storage system, the identifiers will not be held in the storage system object.  
     [0125] At step  1505 , the management software  241  acquires connection information from the selected storage system. Similarly to acquisition of the communication port information, the management software  241  requests the storage system to transmit connection information. The storage system transmits the connection information in response to the request. The management software  241  acquires the connection information  1051  from the storage system  1000 .  
     [0126] At step  1506 , the management software  241  selects the first row of items from the connection information acquired at step  1505 . Steps  1506  to  1508  constitute a loop. When the step  1506  is performed for the first time, the leading row of items in the connection information is selected. At the second or subsequent time, the row next to the row selected previously at step  1506  is selected.  
     [0127] At step  1507 , the management software  241  creates a communication port object representing a communication port of a computer identified with a communication port identifier that is specified as an item belonging to the row selected at step  1506 . If the communication port object is already contained in the integrated connection information  242 , a new communication port object will not be created. Whether a new communication port object should be created is verified by checking all the communication port objects contained in the integrated connection information  242  to see if any communication port object holds the communication port identifier specified as an item belonging to the selected row and assigned to the communication port of the computer. The communication port identifier specified as an item belonging to the selected row and assigned to the communication port of the computer is held in the created communication port object.  
     [0128] For example, the communication port identifier CH 00  assigned to the communication port of the computer is specified as an item of the connection information  1052  belonging to both the first row and the second column. A communication port object  1410  holding the communication port identifier CH 00  is created, and the same identifier is held as number 0 in the storage system object  1418 .  
     [0129] At step  1508 , the management software  241  creates a connection relationship object which represents a connection relationship between the communication port of the computer and the management communication port of the storage system that is specified as an item belonging to the row selected at step  1506 . However, if the connection relationship object is already contained in the integrated connection information  242 , a new connection relationship object will not be created. If the connection relationship object is already present, a value signifying whether a communications link is established may be different from the value specified in the row selected at step  1506 . In this case, the value specified in the row is adopted.  
     [0130] Whether the connection relationship object is already present is verified by checking all the connection relationship objects contained in the integrated connection information  242  to see if any connection relationship object holds identifiers that are the same as the communication port identifier of the communication port of the computer held in a communication port object, and the communication port identifier of the management communication port of the storage system held in a storage system object. Moreover, it is verified whether any connection relationship object also holds a character string that is the same as the one which is specified as an item of a communications protocol belonging to the selected row in the connection information.  
     [0131] A connection relationship object  1410  is created from the first row of items in the connection information  1052 . Namely, the connection relationship object  1410  holds the character string that is the same as the one specified in the third column  1212 , and a value that is the same as the one specified in the fourth column  1213  and that indicates the state of a communications link. Thereafter, among the identifiers of the communication ports held in the storage system  1418  corresponding to the selected storage system  1000 , a communication port object identified with the internal communication port number specified as an item of the connection information  1052  belonging to both the first row and the first column, that is, the communication port object  1410  is selected. The identifier that is the same as the one held in the communication port object  1410  is then held as number 1 in the created connection relationship object  1416 . With respect to the communication port identifier stored in the first row second column  1211  of the connection information  1052 , the identifier that is the same as the one held in the communication port object  1404  holding the communication port identifier is then held as number 0 in the created connection relationship object  1410 .  
     [0132] At step  1509 , the management software  241  verifies whether the processing from step  1506  to step  1508  has been completed for all the rows of items in the connection information acquired at step  1505 . If any row of items has not been treated, the processing from step  1506  is performed again.  
     [0133] At step  1510 , the management software  241  verifies whether the processing from step  1500  to step  1508  has been completed for all the storage systems included in the computer system. If any storage system has not been treated, the processing from step  1500  is performed again.  
     [0134]FIG. 13 describes a processing flow according to which the management software  241  displays the connection relationship diagram  1300  on the display  210  at step  1601  described in FIG. 11.  
     [0135] At step  1520 , the management software  241  displays graphics expressing the storage systems.  
     [0136] At step  1520 , one graphic is displayed relative to one storage system object contained in the integrated connection information  242 . At this time, the identifier of the storage system held in the storage system object is also displayed. At the same time, graphics expressing the communication ports of the storage system are displayed based on the pieces of information, that is, the communication port objects holding the same identifiers as the storage system object does.  
     [0137] The integrated connection information  242  contains the storage system objects  1417  and  1418 . According to the present embodiment, a graphic  1311  is displayed relative to the storage system object  1417 , and a graphic  1310  is displayed relative to the storage system object  1418 .  
     [0138] Moreover, the storage system object  1417  holds the same identifiers as the communication port objects  1405  to  1407  do. A graphic  1325  expressing the communication port object  1405 , a graphic  1324  expressing the communication port object  1406 , and a graphic  1323  expressing the communication port object  1407  are displayed above the graphic  1311  expressing the storage system object  1417 . Moreover, when the graphics  1323  to  1325  expressing the communication port objects respectively are displayed, the communication port identifiers held in the respective communication port objects are displayed below the respective graphics.  
     [0139] Likewise, graphics  1320  to  1322  expressing the communication port objects  1408  to  1410  holding the same identifiers as the storage system object  1418  does are displayed relative to the graphic expressing the storage system object  1418 . Moreover, when the graphics  1320  to  1322  expressing the communication port objects are displayed, the communication port identifiers held in the respective communication port objects are displayed below the respective graphics.  
     [0140] At step  1521 , the management software  241  displays graphics expressing communication ports of computers according to the communication port objects contained in the integrated connection information  242 .  
     [0141] The communication port objects contained in the integrated connection information  242  include the objects  1400  to  1410 . Among them, the graphics expressing the communication port objects  1405  to  1410  have been displayed at step  1520  and will therefore not be dealt with below.  
     [0142] Graphics  1330  to  1334  expressing the other communication port objects  1400  to  1404  are displayed. The graphic  1330  expresses the communication port object  1404 , the graphic  1331  expresses the communication port object  1403 , the graphic  1332  expresses the communication port object  1402 , the graphic  1333  expresses the communication port object  1401 , and the graphic  1334  expresses the communication port object  1400 .  
     [0143] The communication port identifiers of the communication ports held in the respective communication port objects are displayed above the respective graphics.  
     [0144] At step  1522 , the management software  241  displays lines, each of which expresses a connection relationship between communication ports, according to the connection relationship objects contained in the integrated connection information  242 .  
     [0145] Referring to FIG. 9, a line  1340  is represented by the connection relationship object  1416 , a line  1341  is represented by the connection relationship object  1415 , and a line  1342  is represented by the connection relationship object  1414 . A line  1343  is represented by the connection relationship object  1413 , a line  1344  is represented by the connection relationship object  1412 , and a line  1345  is represented by the connection relationship object  1411 . These lines are displayed so that each line will link the graphics expressing two communication objects which hold the same identifiers as the connection relationship object representing the line does.  
     [0146] Moreover, the kind of line to be displayed is varied depending on a value that is held in the connection relationship object representing each line and that signifies whether a communications link is established. Namely, if the value signifying whether a communications link is established is 1, a solid line is drawn. If the value is 0, a dashed line is drawn.  
     [0147] After the lines  1340  to  1345  are displayed, graphics  1390  to  1395  expressing communications protocols held in the connection relationship objects representing the lines are displayed.  
     [0148] A feature allowing a user to append information to the connection relationship diagram  1300  by operating the management computer  200  may be included in the management software  241 . For example, the graphics  1333  and  1334  expressing communication port objects are actually associated with the communication ports  413  and  414  of the computer  402 . When the relationship to the computer  402  is visualized, connection relationships will be more easily grasped. Now, a description will be made of a processing flow to be initiated by a user who directs the management software  241  to display a graphic expressing the computer  402  in the connection relationship diagram  1300 .  
     [0149] A user handles the input device to select the graphics  1333  and  1334  pointed out by the pointer  1350 , and directs the management software  241  to display a graphic, which expresses the computer  402 , so that the graphic will overlap the two graphics. The management software  241  includes a feature that allows users to give directions by selecting items from general menus.  
     [0150] When the user performs the above action, the management software  241  creates an object  1419  shown in FIG. 14, and adds the object  1419  to the integrated connection information  242 . The object  1419  holds the same identifiers as the communication port objects  1400  and  1401  expressed by the user-designated graphics do. The same identifier as the one held in the communication port object  1401  is held as number 0 in the object  1419 , and the same identifier as the one held in the communication port object  1400  is held as number 1 in the object  1419 . Moreover, an identifier Host 0  of the computer that will be displayed on the display  210  is held in the object  1419 . The identifier of the computer may be determined by a user or appropriately produced by the management software  241 . The management software  241  displays a graphic  1351  as the one contained in a connection relation diagram  1301  shown in FIG. 15. The character string Host 0  held in the object  1419  is displayed above the graphic  1351 .  
     [0151] Moreover, assuming that the agent program runs in the computer  402  and a way of communicating with the agent program is known, the management software  241  may receive information from the agent program and create the object  1419  holding the information of the computer  402 . Otherwise, a file containing the same information may be saved in the main storage device  230  included in the management computer  200 , and the object  1419  may be created based on the information.  
     [0152] Now, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described below.  
     [0153] Management software included in the second embodiment visualizes the connection relationships among a storage system and computers on the basis of connection information received from an interconnection device. Moreover, the management software visualizes the connection relationships among the storage system and computers connected to the storage system on the basis of connection information received from the storage system.  
     [0154] According to the second embodiment, the connection relationships among the components of a computer system are visualized in the form of a connection relationship diagram  1302  shown in FIG. 16. When the connection relationship diagram  1302  is compared with the connection relationship diagram  1300  shown in FIG. 9, the connection relationship diagram  1302  includes a graphic  1360  having Switch 0  written therein. The graphic  1360  expresses the interconnection device  300 . Moreover, the connection relationship diagram  1302  does not, unlike the connection relationship diagram  1300 , include the lines  1342  to  1345  each expressing a connection relationship between communication ports. Instead, lines  1370  to  1375  are displayed. Each of the lines  1370  to  1375  expresses a connection relationship between a communication port of the interconnection device  300  and a communication port of the computer or storage system. On the other hand, the other graphics bearing the same reference numerals as those in the connection relationship diagram  1302  have the same meanings as those in the connection relationship diagram  1300 . The graphics are displayed in the same manner as those in the connection relationship diagram  1300 .  
     [0155]FIG. 17 shows the internal configuration of the interconnection device  300 . The interconnection device  300  has a communication unit  320 , an information providing unit  340 , and a controller  350 , in addition to the communication ports  310  to  315  and management communication port  330 .  
     [0156] In the interconnection device  300 , the communication ports  310  to  315  are numbered 0 to 5 and thus discriminated from one another. The numbers assigned to the communication ports  310  to  315  shall be called internal communication port numbers.  
     [0157] The communication unit  320  has the management communication port  330  and is responsible for data communication with the external computers over the network  500 .  
     [0158] The information providing unit  340  serves as an acquisition unit for acquiring connection information  1240 , which is concerned with each pair of a communication port of the interconnection device and a communication port of the data processing device connected to the interconnection device. The information providing unit  340  then transmits the acquired connection information  1240  to the management computer  200 . The information providing unit  340  may transmit the connection information  1240  to the storage systems  1000  and  1100 . The storage systems  1000  and  1100  may in turn transmit the connection information  1240  received from the information providing unit  340  to a management computer  200 .  
     [0159] The controller  350  controls transmission of data through the communication port  310  to  315  so that the interconnection device can communicate data to external computers connected thereto through the communication ports  310  to  315 .  
     [0160]FIG. 18 shows the internal configuration of the management computer  200  included in the second embodiment. According to the second embodiment, management software  243  and integrated connection information  244  are stored in a storage device  280  included in the management computer  200 .  
     [0161]FIG. 19 shows the contents of the connection information  1240  preserved in the interconnection device  300 .  
     [0162] The connection information  1240  is structured as a table having thee rows and six columns. The rows of items in the connection information  1240  specify connection relationships among the communication ports  310  to  315  of the interconnection device  300  and the communication ports of external computers connected to the communication ports  310  to  315 .  
     [0163] The internal communication port numbers of the communication ports  310  to  315  of the interconnection device  300  are specified as the items belonging to both the respective rows and the first column  1241  in the connection information  1240 . The communication port identifiers of the communication ports  310  to  315  discriminated from one another with the internal communication port numbers specified in the first column are specified in the second column  1242 . The communication port identifiers assigned to the communication ports of the computer or storage system connected to the communication ports identified with the internal communication port numbers specified in the first column are specified in the third column  1243 .  
     [0164] For example, the sixth row of items  1244  demonstrates that a communication port of the interconnection device  300  assigned an internal communication port number of 5 has a communication port identifier of FC 25 . A communication port having a communication port identifier of FC 42  is connected to the communication port.  
     [0165] Now, the connection information  1240  is structured as a table having three rows and six columns. The present invention can be adapted to any interconnection device as long as the connection information concerning communication ports can be preserved in the interconnection device.  
     [0166] Now, the contents of information specified in the integrated connection information  244  and a processing flow for constructing the integrated connection information  244 , which are employed in the second embodiment, will be described below.  
     [0167]FIG. 20 shows an object that holds information contained in the integrated connection information  244 , or especially, information concerning the interconnection device  30 , and relevant objects. In addition to the objects shown in FIG. 20, the objects contained in the integrated connection information  242  shown in FIG. 10 are contained in the integrated connection information  244 . Objects bearing the same reference numerals as those shown in FIG. 20 are identical to those shown in FIG. 10. Incidentally, in FIG. 20, similarly to FIG. 10, an arrow signifies that an object holds the same identifier as other object does.  
     [0168] An object  1420  holds information concerning the interconnection device  300 . The identifier Switch 0  of the interconnection device  300  which is displayed in the graphic  1360  within the connection relationship diagram  1302 , and the communication port identifier IP 30  of the management communication port  330  are held in the object  1420 . Hereinafter, the object holding the information concerning the interconnection device shall be called an interconnection device object, and the class to which the object belongs shall be called an interconnection device class.  
     [0169] Objects  1421  to  1426  are communication port objects holding information concerning the communication ports  310  to  315  of the interconnection device  300 . The communication port object  1421  represents the communication port  312  and holds a communication port identifier FC 22 . The communication port object  1422  represents the communication port  311  and holds a communication port identifier FC 21 . The communication port object  1423  represents the communication port  310  and holds a communication port identifier FC 20 . The communication port object  1424  represents the communication port  315  and holds a communication port identifier FC 25 . The communication port object  1425  represents the communication port  314  and holds a communication port identifier FC 24 . The communication port object  1426  represents the communication port  313  and holds a communication port identifier FC 23 .  
     [0170] The interconnection device object  1420  holds the same identifiers as the communication port objects  1421  to  1426  do. This means that the interconnection device  300  represented by the interconnection device object  1420  has the communication ports  310  to  315  represented by the communication port objects  1421  to  1426 . In the interconnection device object  1420 , the identifiers are discriminated from one another with the internal communication port numbers assigned to the communication ports of the interconnection device  300  represented by the communication port objects.  
     [0171] Objects  1427  to  1432  express connection relationships among the communication ports  310  to  315  of the interconnection device  300  and the communication ports of a device or system connected to the interconnection device  300 . The objects are discriminated from the connection relationship objects contained in the integrated connection information  242  shown in FIG. 10, and have “:pcon” specified in the uppermost line thereof. The objects shall be called interconnection device connection relationship objects.  
     [0172] Referring to FIG. 20, the object  1427  holds identifiers that are the same as those held in the communication port object  1400  representing the communication port  414  of the computer  402  and the communication port object  1421  representing the communication port  312  of the interconnection device  300 . The object  1428  holds identifiers that are the same as those held in the communication port object  1401  representing the communication port  413  of the computer  402  and the communication port object  1422  representing the communication port  311  of the interconnection device  300 . The object  1429  holds identifiers that are the same as those held in the communication port object  1402  representing the communication port  412  of the computer  401  and the communication port object  1423  representing the communication port  310  of the interconnection device  300 . The object  1430  holds identifiers that are the same as those held in the communication port object  1405  representing the communication port  1112  of the storage system  1100  and the communication port object  1424  representing the communication port  315  of the interconnection device  300 .  
     [0173] The object  1431  holds identifiers that are the same as those held in the communication port object  1407  representing the communication port  1110  of the storage system  1100  and the communication port object  1425  representing the communication port  314  of the interconnection device  300 . The object  1432  holds identifiers that are the same as those held in the communication port object  1408  representing the communication port  1012  of the storage system  1000  and the communication port object  1426  representing the communication port  313  of the interconnection device  300 .  
     [0174] As mentioned above, the interconnection device connection relationship object holds the same identifiers as the communication port objects representing two communication ports do, and thus expresses a connection relationship between the communication ports. Moreover, the identifiers held in the interconnection device connection relationship object are discriminated from each other with numbers 0 and 1. The identifier distinguished with number 0 is held in a communication port object representing a communication port of a system or device connected to the interconnection device  300 , that is, a storage system or a computer. The identifier distinguished with number 1 is held in a communication port object representing a communication port of the interconnection device  300 .  
     [0175]FIG. 21 describes a processing flow according to which management software  243  displays the connection relationship diagram  1302  on the display  210 . As described in FIG. 21, the management software  243  acquires information of connection relationships from a storage system (step  1610 ), also acquires information of connection relationships from an interconnection system (step  1611 ), and displays the connection relationship diagram  1302 . Incidentally, at step  1610 , the same processing as that performed at step  1600  described in FIG. 11 is carried out. Steps  1610  and  1611  may be performed in that order or in reverse order.  
     [0176]FIG. 22 describes a processing flow according to which the management software  243  acquires information of connection relationships from an interconnection device and adds the information to integrated connection information  244  at step  1611 .  
     [0177] According to the present embodiment, only the interconnection device  300  is included. The processing flow described in FIG. 22 is adaptable to a computer system including a plurality of interconnection devices.  
     [0178] At step  1540 , the management software  243  acquires a list of communication port identifiers assigned to the management communication ports of interconnection devices included in a computer system. A file which is stored in the main storage device  230  and in which the list of communication port identifiers assigned to the management communication ports of interconnection devices is recorded, or the network  500  is searched for the list. In the computer system of the present embodiment, an identifier IP 30  is retrieved. The retrieved identifier of the management communication port is used for data communication through which connection information is acquired from a communication unit.  
     [0179] At step  1541 , the management software  243  selects one of the interconnection devices carried on the list acquired at step  1540 . Steps  1541  to  1549  constitute a loop that is repeated for each interconnection device. When step  1541  is performed for the second or subsequent time, an interconnection device other than the previously selected one is selected. Hereinafter, a case where the interconnection device  300  is selected will be described for instance.  
     [0180] At step  1542 , the management software  243  creates within the integrated connection information  244  an interconnection device object that holds information concerning the selected interconnection device. At this time, the created interconnection device object holds an identifier that will be displayed on the screen  1302 . However, if the interconnection device object representing the selected interconnection device having a communication unit is already contained in the integrated connection information  244 , a new object will not be created. Whether a new interconnection device object should be created is verified by checking if the integrated connection information  244  contains an interconnection device object that holds the communication port identifier assigned to the management communication port of the selected interconnection device.  
     [0181] At step  1543 , the management software  243  communicates with the selected interconnection device over the network  500  and acquires connection information. Specifically, the connection information  1240  is acquired from the interconnection device  300 .  
     [0182] Steps  1544  to  1548  constitute a loop within which the leading row of items in connection information to the last row thereof are treated one by one. Within the loop, communication port objects representing the communication ports of the interconnection device and an interconnection device connection relationship object are created. If necessary, communication port objects representing the communication ports of a system or device connected to the interconnection device are created.  
     [0183] At step  1544 , the management software  243  selects one row of items in the acquired connection information. When the connection information is dealt with for the first time, the leading row of items is selected. At the second or subsequent time, the row next to the previously selected row is selected.  
     [0184] At step  1545 , the management software  243  creates a communication port object representing a communication port of the interconnection device whose information is specified in the selected row. Herein, after the communication port object is created, a communication port identifier specified in the selected row is held in the created communication port object. Furthermore, the communication port identifier is numbered based on an internal communication port number specified in the selected row. The same identifier as the communication port identifier is then held in the interconnection device object created at step  1542 .  
     [0185] However, if the communication port object is already held, a new communication port object will not be created. Whether a new communication port object should be created can be verified in the same manner as it is performed at step  1504  or  1507  in FIG. 12.  
     [0186] For example, a communication port object  1426  is created by referencing the row of items  1244  in the connection information  1240 .  
     [0187] At step  1546 , if necessary, the management software  243  creates objects representing the communication ports of an external computer connected to the interconnection device. Herein, all communication port objects contained in the integrated connection information  244  are checked to see if any communication port object holds a communication port identifier that is assigned to a communication port of the external computer and that is specified in the selected row. If no communication port object holds the communication port identifier, a communication port object is created. The communication port identifier is held in the created object.  
     [0188] At step  1547 , if necessary, the management software  243  creates an interconnection device connection relationship object expressing a connection relationship between communication ports whose identifiers are specified in the selected row. Whether a new interconnection device connection relationship object should be created is verified by checking if communication port objects holding the two communication port identifiers specified in the row selected at step  1544  are contained in the integrated connection information  244 . Moreover, it is checked if an interconnection device connection relationship object holding the same identifiers as the communication port objects do is contained in the integrated connection information  244 . If a new interconnection device connection relationship object should be created, an interconnection device connection relationship object is created. Thereafter, the communication port identifier assigned to the communication port of the computer and held in the communication port object, which is specified in the row selected at step  1544 , is numbered 1. An identifier that is the same as the communication port identifier is held in the created interconnection device connection relationship object. The communication port identifier assigned to the communication port of the interconnection device, which is specified in the row selected at step  1544 , is numbered 0. An identifier that is the same as the communication port identifier is then held in the created interconnection device connection relationship object.  
     [0189] At step  1548 , the communication software  243  verifies whether the processing from step  1544  to  1547  has been completed for all rows of items in the connection information acquired at step  1543 . If any row has not been dealt with, the processing from step  1544  is performed again.  
     [0190] At step  1549 , the communication software  243  determines whether the processing from step  1541  to  1549  has been completed for all interconnection devices included in the computer system. If any interconnection device has not been dealt with, the processing from step  1541  is performed again.  
     [0191]FIG. 23 describes a processing flow according to which the management software  243  displays the connection relationship diagram  1302  at step  1612 .  
     [0192] At step  1560 , the management software  243  displays a graphic expressing a storage system. At step  1561 , the management software  243  displays graphics expressing the communication ports of a computer. The two steps are identical to steps  1520  and  1521  described in FIG. 13 but performed on the integrated connection information  244 . At step  1562 , the management software  243  displays a graphic expressing an interconnection device. At this step, one graphic is displayed relative to one interconnection device object contained in the integrated connection information  244 . At this time, an identifier assigned to an interconnection device and held in the interconnection device object is also displayed.  
     [0193] At the same time, graphics expressing the communication ports of the interconnection device are displayed based on the information of the communication port objects holding identifiers that are the same as those held in the interconnection device object.  
     [0194] The integrated connection information  244  contains the interconnection device object  1420 . According to the present embodiment, a graphic  1360  is displayed in order to express the interconnection device object  1420 .  
     [0195] Moreover, the interconnection device object  1420  holds the same identifiers as the communication port objects  1421  to  1426  do. A graphic  1363  expressing the communication port object  1421 , a graphic  1362  expressing the communication port object  1422 , a graphic  1361  expressing the communication port object  1423 , a graphic  1366  expressing the communication port object  1424 , a graphic  1365  expressing the communication port object  1425 , and a graphic  1364  expressing the communication port object  1426  are displayed so that the graphics will overlap the graphic  1311  expressing the interconnection device object  1420 .  
     [0196] Moreover, when the graphics  1361  to  1366  expressing the communication port objects are displayed, the communication port identifiers held in the communication port objects are displayed inside the graphic  1360  expressing the interconnection device object that represents the interconnection device  300 .  
     [0197] At step  1563 , the management software  243  displays lines each expressing a connection relationship between the interconnection device and a system or device connected to the interconnection device.  
     [0198] At this step, lines  1370  to  1375  are displayed so that each of the lines will link the graphics expressing two communication port objects holding identifiers that are the same as those held in the interconnection device connection relationship objects  1421  to  1426  contained in the integrated connection information  244 .  
     [0199] At step  1564 , lines each expressing a connection relationship between a storage system and a computer are displayed. The processing of step  1564  is identical to that of step  1512  described in FIG. 13. However, when lines each expressing a connection relationship to the storage system are displayed, if lines each expressing a connection relationship of the communication port of the computer to the communication port of the interconnection device are already displayed, displaying the lines is omitted. This is intended to avoid making the connection relationship diagram  1302  complex, and is therefore not indispensable.  
     [0200] As a method for displaying all connection relationships among storage systems and computers without making a connection relationship diagram complex, a feature described below may be implemented in the management software  243 . Namely, when a user handles the input device to move the pointer  1350  to a position at which the pointer overlaps a graphic expressing a communication port, a graphic expressing a communication port that represents a communication port having a connection relationship with the communication port represented by the communication port object is displayed while being highlighted. In this case, a connection relationship to the interconnection device and a connection relationship to a storage system can be displayed at the same time.  
     [0201] The methods for visualizing the connection relationships among the components of a computer system have been described according to the first and second embodiments.  
     [0202] In relation to the first and second embodiments, a change in any of the connection relationships among the components of the computer system has not been described at all. However, in the course of operating the computer system, a hardware or software failure may take place, a user may modify the configuration of the computer system, or a connection relationship between components may change. Consequently, the connection relationships in an actual computer system become different from a connection relationship diagram displayed by the management software. Therefore, the management software  241  or  243  regularly or irregularly acquires connection information from a storage system or an interconnection device so as to compare the connection information with information contained in the integrated connection information  242  or  244 . When it is detected through the comparison that a connection relationship has changed, the integrated connection information  242  or  244  is reconstructed based on the information acquired from the storage system or interconnection device. A connection relationship diagram is redisplayed on the display  210 .  
     [0203] As one way for allowing the management software  241  or  243  to detect a change in a connection relationship, a feature allowing a storage system or an interconnection device to notify the computers connected on the network  500  of a change in a connection relationship may be included. For example, the controller  1030  and information providing unit  1040  included in the storage system  1000  are designed to have the functions described below. Namely, when an event causing a connection relationship to change takes place, the controller  1030  included in the storage system  1000  updates the information contained in the connection information  1051 , and notifies the information providing unit  1040  of the fact that the connection relationship has changed. In response to the notification, the information providing unit  1040  notifies the management computer  200  of the change in the connection relationship.  
     [0204] In response to the notification of the change in the connection relationship, the management computer  200  reacquires connection information from the storage system  1000 , and redisplays a connection relationship diagram.  
     [0205] In the connection relationship diagrams  1300  to  1302 , lines each linking graphics that express communication port objects are displayed in order to express the connection relationship between the communication ports represented by the communication port objects. Moreover, in the connection relationship diagram  1300 , whether a communications link has been established is indicated by changing the kind of line. A communications protocol adopted for communication between communication ports, or a communication path between communication ports may be expressed by changing the kind of line. Moreover, the kind of line to be displayed may be the color or thickness of a line, whether a line displayed is flickered, or whether a line is composed of multiple lines.  
     [0206] This specification describes a way of visualizing connection relationships, especially, the connection relationships between a storage system and computers. The present invention can be applied to all computers that can be connected to the storage system.  
     [0207] According to the embodiments of the present invention, even when a computer in which an agent program cannot run is connected directly to a storage system, the connection relationships between the storage system and computer can be visualized.  
     [0208] Moreover, according to the embodiments of the present invention, an agent program is not indispensable. In such a situation that the influence of the agent program on the run of transaction software, which is a principal object of computers, has a significant meaning, or that the number of computers included in a computer system is large, a user can choose an option that the agent program is unused. For developers of management software, since development of an agent program is not a must, the cost of development can be minimized.  
     [0209] According to the present invention, there are provided management software, a management computer, and a management method capable of visualizing the connection relationships among a plurality of devices interconnected over a storage network without the necessity of implementing a connection information acquiring unit in an object computer.