Patent ID: 7469284

Claim:
A method of assigning management of a device in a storage area network to multiple agents, the method comprising: identifying multiple agents and their corresponding abilities to manage the device on behalf of a management control center that utilizes multiple agents, which reside on respective at least one host entities independent of the management control center, to execute management functions associated with the device; assigning a first agent of the multiple agents in the storage area network to handle execution of a first set of management functions associated with the device; assigning a second agent of the multiple agents in the storage area network to handle execution of a second set of management functions associated with the device, the second set of management functions being exclusive of the first set of management functions; initiating display of a list of at least one management function to a user; from the user, receiving a selection of a particular management function to be applied to the device; at the management control center, identifying that the particular management function falls within the first set of management functions supported by the first agent; and from the management control center, transmitting a command to the first agent to execute the particular management function on behalf of the management control center.