Patent Document ID: 7689587
Application ID: 11770216

Base Claim:
1. A method of generating a repository template of a repository of data for a storage area network management tool, the repository defined to hold data describing storage area network elements and configurations, the method comprising: updating a configuration file to include current configuration data for a first repository, wherein the configuration file includes specifications for a set of schemas defining at least one repository structure; using configuration data from the configuration file to access the first repository currently stored on a host; removing any schemas and data currently stored by the first repository; creating a set of new schemas for the first repository according to the specifications from the configuration file; copying seed data to the host, wherein the seed data defines initial repository information; initializing the set of new schemas with the seed data; upon initializing the set of new schemas, generating a repository template from the set of new schemas and the seed data, the repository template defined for creating one or more repositories to hold storage area network data; creating a second repository from the repository template, wherein the second repository includes the seed data and the set of new schemas; establishing a test environment based on the repository template; wherein establishing the test environment includes: (i) exporting each schema in the set of new schemas into the test environment; (ii) replacing the seed data in each exported schema with data from at least one live storage area network (SAN); (iii) upon determining that each exported new schema properly handles data from the live SAN, indicating, in the test environment, that the second repository is acceptable; loading a prior version of the repository onto the host; comparing the schemas of the prior version of the repository with the schemas of the second repository to determine any differences; and creating at least one script that, when executed on a repository based on the prior version of the repository, will upgrade schemas according to the set of new schemas in the second repository; via the test environment, receiving a correction of at least one schema in the set of new schemas, wherein receiving the correction includes: upon determining that at least one exported schema does not properly handle the data from the live SAN: resolving at least one incompatibility between at least one portion of data from the live SAN and an exported new schema.

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Claim 8:
8. The method as in claim 1 , wherein updating the configuration file to include current configuration data for the repository includes: creating the specifications for the configuration file, the specifications for at least one first new schema, wherein the first new schema is designed to hold data that has not been previously collected for storage in the first repository.