Patent ID: 7478026

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for simulating a configuration of a data storage system comprising: receiving first configuration data representing an initial data storage system configuration state; storing said first configuration data; providing an execution mode for processing configuration calls; receiving a configuration call for the data storage system; when said execution mode is configured to a non-simulation mode, communicating with the data storage system to perform processing for said configuration call; and when said execution mode is configured to a simulation mode, simulating said configuration call to the data storage system by simulating one or more calls to the data storage system using said first configuration data in accordance with a type of said configuration call, wherein said simulating is performed without communicating with the data storage system, wherein if said type is active, said configuration call results in modifying a portion of said first configuration data to simulate modifying the initial data storage system configuration state and storing said portion that has been modified, and wherein if said type is passive, said configuration call results in returning data associated with a portion of said first configuration data without modification to said first configuration data to simulate returning information about the initial data storage system configuration state without modification thereto.