Patent ID: 7269565

Claim:
A storage operational system for administrating computers and storage devices connected to the computers comprising: a means for getting information on current status of storage usage of said storage devices; a means for getting users' set-up requirements for said storage devices; a means for creating proposed set-ups for storage spaces on said storage devices based on said set-up requirements by the users and said information on current status of storage usage of said storage devices; a means for setting prices to be charged to the users for said created proposed set-ups of said storage spaces on said storage devices; a means for the users to select any of said created, proposed set-ups of said storage spaces on said storage devices; a means for setting said storage spaces on said storage devices depending on the selection; and a means for presenting next-best proposed set-ups for partially satisfying users' requirements for storage devices set-ups even if all of said users' requirements are not satisfied, wherein said storage operational system comprises: a means for negotiating with other users, which already have assigned storage devices, about conditions for using the storage devices to change set-ups for said storage devices assigned to said other users; a means for changing said set-ups of said storage devices assigned to said other users based on the result of the negotiation; and a means for applying discount prices for usages of said storage devices of said other users when they are rented to users issuing set-up requirements.