Patent ID: 7096222

Claim:
A method in a data processing system having a workflow that models a process, the method comprising the steps of: determining whether or not the workflow is associated with an existing storage hierarchy definition; generating a default hierarchy definition if the workflow is not associated with a storage hierarchy definition; defining a storage hierarchy in association with the workflow; adding a pointer to a set of containers organized in a peer-to-peer or subordinate-to-superior relationship; generating a template for the storage hierarchy definition from the set of containers referenced by the pointer; automatically accessing the pointer to locate the template for the storage hierarchy definition; generating a plan from the workflow that reflects an instance of the process; automatically generating a container by way of the located template in accordance with the storage hierarchy definition when the plan is generated from the workflow; generating another plan from the workflow that reflects another instance of the process; and generating a different container in accordance with the storage hierarchy definition when another plan is generated from the workflow.