Patent ID: 7454549

Claim:
A user interface for hot plugging a hardware device in a system, wherein the user interface is displayed on a display associated with a server in a client-server network system and wherein the user interface is configured to perform acts comprising: displaying one or more of a plurality of graphical user interface (GUI) modules, the GUI modules representing hardware devices associated with servers in a client-server network system; receiving from a user instructions identifying the server in the client-server network system, instructions identifying the device in the identified server, and instructions identifying one of a hot add process and a hot swap process for the identified device; showing the user steps to be performed in the identified process for the identified device; and guiding the user in performance of the steps; wherein the step of guiding the user comprises: receiving from the user an instruction to suspend the identified device; receiving from the user an instruction to power down the identified device after confirming to the user that the identified device is suspended; prompting the user to add or swap the identified device after confirming to the user that the identified device is powered down; receiving an instruction from the user that the identified device has been swapped or added; receiving an instruction from the user to power up the identified device; receiving from the user an instruction to restart the identified device after confirming to the user that the identified device has been powered up; and confirming to the user whether the identified device is active after the identified device is restarted.