Patent ID: 8489727

Claim:
An active storage area network discovery method, comprising: automatically detecting at a storage area network manager, an event occurring in a storage area network comprising a plurality of hosts, each host hosting at least one device; determining a time when a change associated with the event actually occurred; determining one or more devices associated with the event; in response to detecting the event, requesting information about the one or more devices associated with the event from every host within the storage area network connecting to the storage area network by automatically broadcasting a request for information about the one or more devices associated with the event, the request specifically identifying the one or more devices associated with the event and being broadcast to every host within the storage area network connecting to the storage area network, wherein at least one of the plurality of hosts comprises at least one host unique from one or more hosts hosting the one or more devices associated with the event; receiving the requested information; updating one or more properties associated with the storage area network with the requested information; and generating, for presentation to a user, an updated worldview of the storage area network comprising the updated properties associated with the storage area network.