Patent ID: 7290045

Claim:
A method for managing a storage area network comprising: (a) providing a plurality of host computers connected to a switch fabric; (b) providing a plurality of data storage devices connected to the switch fabric, the data storage devices in communication with the plurality of host computers by way of the switch fabric; (c) providing a self-contained storage system connected to the switch fabric as an additional storage device, the self-contained storage system being coupled to the plurality of data storage devices, the self-contained storage system in communication with the plurality of host computers by way of the switch fabric; (d) installing a first three-tier management system in a first computer system that is connected to the storage area network, the first three-tier management system having a presentation tier, a logic tier with a plurality of first service deployed in a shared station with the first computer system, and an agent tier; (e) installing a second three-tier management system in a second computer system that is within the self-contained storage system, the second three-tier management system having a presentation tier, a logic tier with a plurality of second services deployed in a private station within the second computer system, and an agent tier; and (f) deploying at least one of the second services from the second three-tier management system, of the self-contained storage system, in the shared station.