Patent ID: 7124179

Claim:
In an object oriented computer network including a user interface and a storage system, said storage system including both a plurality of storage processors each having information defining itself and its relationship to all of its directly coupled nodes and at least one disk drive, apparatus for managing said storage system comprising: first sub-apparatus for communicating between said user interface and each one of said plurality of storage processors; said each one of said plurality of storage processors including second sub-apparatus for communicating with both all other of said plurality of storage processors and said at least one disk drive; said second sub-apparatus including third sub-apparatus for obtaining said information from each of said all other of said plurality of storage processors whereby said each one of said plurality of storage processors contains all said information in said storage system; and, said user interface including selection sub-apparatus for selecting a particular one of said plurality of storage processors, whereby a single management point of ingress to and egress from said storage system is established for said user interface.