Patent ID: 8646070

Claim:
In a storage area network management application that operates using agents for management of resources, a method for use in verifying authenticity in installing an agent on a host computer system in the storage area network, the method comprising: identifying a file for use in installing the agent, wherein an agent installer identifies the agent for installation on the host computer system, wherein the agent collects and reports data within the storage area network, wherein the agent installer receives a list of installed agents and a list of agent versions from a master agent; signing the file to produce a digital signature for the file; providing, to a recipient, a certificate for use in verifying authenticity of information, wherein the recipient includes the master agent having the list of installed agents and the list of agent versions, wherein the master agent saves the certificate; sending the file and digital signature to the recipient in a single secure transaction; at the recipient, using the certificate and the digital signature to verify the file, wherein the master agent verifies the digital signature using the certificate; and using the file, performing an agent installation operation to install the agent on the host computer system, wherein the host computer system connects to at least one data storage system to gain access to stored data on behalf of client computer systems requesting the stored data.