Patent ID: 7421488

Claim:
A method for providing centralized management of a channel-based switched-fabric distributed system-area network that includes a subnet administrator and a plurality of end nodes, said method comprising the steps of: registering, by a manager application, its presence in said network by registering with said subnet administrator in a subnet end node that includes a subnet manager; said manager application not included within a channel adapter; said manager application executing within a first end node, wherein the first end node is not the subnet end node; registering, by each one of a plurality of agent applications, its presence with said manager application, none of said plurality of agent applications registering in said subnet end node with said subnet administrator; said plurality of agent applications executing within second end nodes, wherein said second end nodes do not include either the first end node or the subnet end node; said plurality of agent applications not being included within a channel adapter; publicizing a presence of each one of said plurality of agent applications to said network by said manager application, said presence of each one of said plurality of agent applications in said network required to be publicized before other applications are able to communicate with each one of said plurality of agent applications; said system-area network including a remote manager console that is coupled to the first end node using a protocol that is not included in said switched fabric; including a remote manager application and a particular manager application in said first end node; said remote manager application acting as an external interface for said remote manager console; funneling, by said remote manager application, a user request to said particular manager application; said user request entered via said remote manager console; forwarding, by said particular manager application, said user request to at least one particular one of said plurality of agent applications; and responsive to receipt, by said particular manager application, of a response to said user request from said at least one particular one of said plurality of agent applications, forwarding said response from said particular manager application to said remote manager application.