System for managing tasks for processing for a computer system which are tasks based on user operation, and method for displaying information related to tasks of the type

[Technical Field]

The present invention relates to a technique for managing a task.

[Background Art]

As an example of a computer system that is a target of a management, there can be mentioned for instance a storage system that has a plurality of physical storage devices. Conventionally, a storage system has been managed by one computer. In recent years however, a storage system has been managed by a management system that is configured by a plurality of computers that include a management computer and a display computer that is coupled to the management computer (see Patent Literature 1). For the management system of this type, the display computer has a user interface device (for instance, a display and a keyboard), and the management computer transmits the information for a display to the display computer and/or receives the information for an input from the display computer.

The display computer executes a dedicated program for a display in a quintessential way. Or more specifically, the display computer downloads a Java applet via the Web browser and executes the Java applet.

[Citation List]

[Patent Literature]

<ul id="ul0001" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>[PTL 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. <patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="JP2010108114A"><text>2010-108114</text></patcit></li></ul>

[Summary of Invention]

[Technical Problem]

The RIA (Rich Internet Application) has been in widespread use for a Web application field that targets a personal application and an office application (for instance, a Web mail, a word processor, and a collaboration tool). By accessing a Web server by using a Web browser, it looks like that a personal application or an office application is executed or provided on the Web browser for a user of the Web browser. Consequently in recent years, the RIA (Rich Internet Application) can be executed by a great number of computers (such as a personal computer in which the Microsoft Windows OS or iMac has been installed) or a smartphone in some cases ("Windows" and "iMac" are registered trademarks).

The RIA can be executed in a quintessential manner under a program execution environment in which the Web browser includes or utilizes Flash of Adobe Corporation or the Silverlight technology of Microsoft Corporation. In recent years, an RIA development environment in which an icon and a toolbar that are visually beautiful for the RIA can be provided or displayed by the RIA without any difficulty has also been provided. Although only a processing that takes a user request as an opportunity can be installed for a Web page based on HTML and Java, a processing that is asynchronous with a user request can be executed under the execution environment and the development environment.

In accordance with such a merit, it is thought that a management client program of a computer system (such as a system that is configured by a plurality of servers, a storage system that has a plurality of physical storage devices, and a system that includes a storage system and a host that is coupled to the storage system) is made to be an RIA. However, the RIA execution environment and the RIA development environment target an application field such as a personal application and an office application, and it is not supposed that those are managed by monitoring and operating a computer system and a storage system in particular.

On the other hand, a user that utilizes a management client program executes a plurality of work operations in parallel to the management client program in some cases. The case in which the following work operations are executed in parallel is an example: <ul id="ul0002" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>(Example 1 of a work operation) There is a work operation for a management work in which a setting or a configuration of a system is modified. For the example, a concrete example of a work operation is an instruction for executing a processing such as a network configuration for a computer that is a management target, an install of a program, and a processing of a volume creation and a volume initialization for a storage system.</li><li>(Example 2 of a work operation) There is a work operation for a monitoring work in which a system is monitored. For the example, a concrete example of a work operation is an operation for specifying a specific apparatus or a device that is included in an apparatus in order to monitor a status of an apparatus in detail, an operation that has a purpose opposite to that of the operation (that is, an operation for transiting from a detailed screen to a panoramic screen), or an operation for confirming an alert in a past time from a status in which a current apparatus status is displayed. It is also possible to think a status of a device as substitute for a status of an apparatus for the present example.</li></ul>

However, for the RIA execution environment and the RIA development environment, it is not supposed that a user executes a plurality of work operations in parallel by using one application. Consequently, at the time point when the RIA displays a new window or a new dialogue box, a user cannot execute another work operation that a user wants to execute for the same Web browser (for the tub in a Web browser that has a tub function).

By the above reasons, it is not easy to make the management client program to be an RIA.

[Solution of Problem]

A management computer, that is a computer managing a computer system as a management target, is connected to a display computer that is a computer displaying information provided from the management computer.

The display computer displays a management screen that is a screen that has a first area and a second area. In that case, in the first area, information related to a computer system, and an input object for a work operation that is a user operation for registering a task of a processing to a computer system into a management computer or an object for displaying the input object are displayed. In the second area, a summary view related to at least one task registered into the management computer is displayed. The summary view is a view that has a status object for each status of task, the status object includes an object indicating a status and a value indicating a number of tasks in the status. There are a waiting status that represents that an execution of a task is waited, a running status that represents that a task is being executed, and a finished status that represents that a task has been finished as a status of a task.

The display computer updates a display in the first area in accordance with a user operation to the first area.

The management computer detects a modification of a status of each task that has been registered. In the case in which the modification is detected, the management computer transmits a task number information that is information indicating a number of tasks in the status to the display computer. The display computer receives the task number information and updates a display in the second area in accordance with the task number information.

[Brief Description of Drawings]

<ul id="ul0003" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>[<figref idref="f0001">Fig. 1</figref>] <figref idref="f0001">Fig. 1</figref> shows an example of a Web browser screen in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.</li><li>[<figref idref="f0002">Fig. 2</figref>] <figref idref="f0002">Fig. 2</figref> shows an example of a Web browser screen after a switchover of a tub screen.</li><li>[<figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3</figref>] <figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3A</figref> shows a second area 120 at a point of time. <figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3B</figref> shows an example of a highlighting that is executed in the case in which the number of storage operation tasks of the status "Finished" is increased. <figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3C</figref> shows that the highlighting shown in <figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3B</figref> is canceled in the case in which a certain period of time elapses after the highlighting is started.</li><li>[<figref idref="f0004">Fig. 4</figref>] <figref idref="f0004">Fig. 4A</figref> shows a second area 120 at a point of time. <figref idref="f0004">Fig. 4B</figref> shows an example of a highlighting for an alert object 161.</li><li>[<figref idref="f0005">Fig. 5</figref>] <figref idref="f0005">Fig. 5</figref> shows the configuration of a computer system and a management system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.</li><li>[<figref idref="f0006">Fig. 6</figref>] <ul id="ul0004" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li><figref idref="f0006">Fig. 6A</figref> shows the configuration of a task management table 543.</li><li><figref idref="f0006">Fig. 6B</figref> shows the configuration of a user table 544.</li></ul></li><li>[<figref idref="f0007">Fig. 7</figref>] <figref idref="f0007">Fig. 7</figref> shows a Web browser screen 101 at a point of time.</li><li>[<figref idref="f0008">Fig. 8</figref>] <figref idref="f0008">Fig. 8</figref> shows a dialogue box 801 that is displayed on the front of the Web browser screen 101 in the case in which a specific user operation is executed to a first area 110 of the Web browser screen 101 of <figref idref="f0007">Fig. 7</figref>, and shows that the Web browser screen 101 is in a disable status.</li><li>[<figref idref="f0009">Fig. 9</figref>] <figref idref="f0009">Fig. 9</figref> shows a dialogue box 901 that is displayed on the front of the Web browser screen 101 in the case in which a specific work operation is executed to the dialogue box 801 of <figref idref="f0008">Fig. 8</figref>.</li><li>[<figref idref="f0010">Fig. 10</figref>] <figref idref="f0010">Fig. 10</figref> shows an example of a display update that is executed in the case in which a specific work operation is executed to the dialogue box 901 of <figref idref="f0009">Fig. 9</figref>.</li><li>[<figref idref="f0011">Fig. 11</figref>] <figref idref="f0011">Fig. 11</figref> shows an example of a display update for the second area 120 that is executed after the display update shown in <figref idref="f0010">Fig. 10</figref>.</li><li>[<figref idref="f0012">Fig. 12</figref>] <figref idref="f0012">Fig. 12</figref> shows a flow of a registration/execution processing of a task.</li><li>[<figref idref="f0013">Fig. 13</figref>] <figref idref="f0013">Fig. 13</figref> shows a flow of a monitoring/display update processing of a task.</li><li>[<figref idref="f0014">Fig. 14</figref>] <figref idref="f0014">Fig. 14</figref> shows an example of the Web browser screen that includes the first area that displays a list (a first list) of the information related to a storage operation task for a plurality of users.</li><li>[<figref idref="f0015">Fig. 15</figref>] <figref idref="f0015">Fig. 15</figref> shows an example of the Web browser screen that includes the first area that displays a list (a second list) of the information related to a storage operation task for a plurality of users.</li></ul>

[Description of Embodiments]

A mode for the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

In the following descriptions, a wide variety of information will be described by an expression of "xxx table" in some cases. However, a wide variety of information can also be represented by a data structure other than a table. In order to indicate that a data structure is not depended on, "xxx table" can also be referred to as "xxx information".

In the following descriptions, a processing will be described while using a "program" as a subject in some cases. However, since a program executes a predetermined processing while using a storage resource (such as a memory) and/or a communication interface device (such as a communication port) in an appropriate fashion in the case in which the program is executed by a processor (such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit)), a subject of a processing can also be a processor. A processing that is described while a program is used as a subject can also be a processing that is executed by a processor or a management system that has the processor (for instance, a display computer (such as a client) or a management computer (such as a server). Moreover, the processor can also be a CPU itself, or can also include a hardware circuit that executes a part or a whole of a processing that is executed by the processor. A program can also be installed to each controller from a program source. A program source can also be a program distribution server or a storage medium for instance. A program distribution server can also be a management computer.

A management system can also be configured by at least one computer. For instance to be more precise, in the case in which a management computer displays the information or a management computer transmits the information for a display to a remote computer, the management computer is a management system. For instance moreover, in the case in which a function equivalent to a management computer is implemented by using a plurality of computers, the plurality of computers is a management system (a display computer can also be included in the case in which a display is executed by a display computer). In the present embodiment, the management computer is a management system.

In the following descriptions, a number, an identifier, or a name is adopted as a type of the identification information of a target of every sort and kind (such as a task, a host, and a storage system). The number, the identifier, and the name can also be substituent with each other, and a combination of the identification information of a plurality of types can also be the identification information.

For an embodiment that will be described in the following, a computer system that is a management target is a storage system. However, a computer system is not restricted to a storage system. For instance, a computer system can also be a system that is configured by a plurality of servers and can also be a system that includes a storage system and a host computer (hereafter referred to as a host) that is coupled to the storage system.

In the following descriptions, a term of "time" is used. However, a time can also indicates the information of a year, a month, and a day, and a time can also indicates an hour, a minute, and a second (that includes a second after the decimal point) as a matter of course.

In the following descriptions, a user operation that is executed to a management screen of a computer system (a storage system in the present embodiment) can also be referred to as a "user operation". As a user operation, a "specification" of a tub or an obj ect can be mentioned for instance. The "specification" that is described here is an operation in which a cursor of a pointing device (such as a mouse) is put on a tub or an object and the pointing device is clicked or double-clicked after the cursor is put on the tub or the object for instance. Such a specification is referred to as a "user specification" in the following. The user specification is one of user operations.

In the following descriptions, a user operation that is executed to browse (check for instance) the information related to a computer system (a storage system in the present embodiment) can also be referred to as a "management operation".

In the following descriptions, a user operation that is executed to create a task for executing a processing that is executed by a computer system (a storage system in the present embodiment) (hereafter referred to as a storage operation task) can also be referred to as a "work operation". There is a wide variety of types of storage operation tasks (for instance a step). For instance, as a storage operation task, there is at least one of a creation of a logical volume, an allocation of a logical volume to a host (a configuration of a logical volume and a host to which the logical volume is provided), and a creation of a pool. The "logical volume" can be a substantive logical volume (a real volume) based on at least one physical storage device (for instance a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks) group) that is configured by a plurality of physical storage devices or a virtual logical volume (a virtual volume) that conforms to the Thin Provisioning or a storage virtualization technique. The "pool" can be a logical storage area based on at least one physical storage device (for instance a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks) group) and an aggregate of at least one logical volume for instance. The "pool" can be a pool that stores a difference between an original logical volume and the snap shot of the original logical or a pool that has a storage area that is allocated to a virtual volume that conforms to the Thin Provisioning.

The task is a logical existence that is associated with a processing that is to be executed by a computer system (or a component of a computer system).

&lt;Summary of an embodiment of the present invention&gt;

<figref idref="f0001">Fig. 1</figref> shows an example of a Web browser screen in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

A Web browser screen 101 is a screen that is displayed on a display device of a client computer (hereafter referred to as a client) that is an example of a display computer. The client is coupled to a server computer (hereafter referred to as a server) that is an example of a management computer that is coupled to a display computer.

The client executes a Web browser and a management client program that has been made to be an RIA as described later. Since the management client program is an RIA, the Web browser includes Flash of Adobe Corporation or the Silverlight technology of Microsoft Corporation in a quintessential manner (or is executed under the program execution environment that uses the technology). The information that is displayed on the Web browser screen 101 is the information that is provided from the management client program to the Web browser and that is displayed by the Web browser. The information that is provided from the management client program to the Web browser can includes the information that is received from a server by the management client program. In case of a software architecture in which a part of a display control of the Web browser screen 101 is executed by the management client program, it is not necessary the case that the management client program provides the information to the Web browser. This is because the processing can be executed in such a manner that the management client program displays the necessary information on a part of the Web browser screen 101. This point is equivalent that of an input processing. In the case in which the display information of the management client program can be displayed on the Web browser screen, other methods and other software architectures can also be adopted.

The Web browser screen 101 has a first area 110 and a second area 120.

The first area 110 is an area in which the information that indicates a status related to a storage system and/or an input object that can be operated by a user for a storage system are displayed. More specifically, a tub screen is displayed on the first area 110. A tub screen is changed corresponding to a tub in which a user specification has been executed. On any of the tub screens, the information that indicates a status related to a storage system and/or an input object that can be operated by a user for a storage system are displayed. A tub screen shown in <figref idref="f0001">Fig. 1</figref> is a tub screen 111 that is displayed in the case in which a mouse cursor 103 is put on a tub "Resource" and a user specification is executed. The tub screen 111 displays the following sub areas for instance: <ul id="ul0005" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>(*) a sub area 181 in which a list of the identification information of at least one resource that belongs to a resource type in which a user specification has been executed is displayed;</li><li>(*) a sub area 183 in which a list of types of work operations is displayed;</li><li>(*) a sub area 185 in which a summary of a resource in which a user specification has been executed in the sub area 181 is displayed; and</li><li>(*) a sub area 187 in which a detail of a resource in which a user specification has been executed in the sub area 181 is displayed.</li></ul> The information that conforms to a management operation of a user is displayed in the first area 110. More specifically, the information related to a storage system is displayed on a tub screen of a tub in which a user specification has been executed for instance. The resource is a physical or logical component of a storage system or a host. As a resource, there can be mentioned for instance a physical storage device, a physical storage device group, a controller, and a volume.

The second area 120 displays a summary view related to at least one storage operation task that has been created by executing a work operation of a user. The summary view has status objects 122, 132, 142, and 152 for every status type related to a storage operation task and an alert object 161 for instance.

As a status related to a storage operation task, the following four types are mentioned for instance: <ol id="ol0001" compact="compact" ol-style=""><li>(A) "Running" that represents that a storage operation task is being executed;</li><li>(B) "Waiting" that represents that an execution of a storage operation task is waited;</li><li>(C) "Finished" that represents that a storage operation task has been finished; and</li><li>(D) "Error" that represents that an error has occurred for a storage operation task.</li></ol> The status type is not restricted to the above four types. For instance, the status types can also be more or less than the above four types. Moreover, at least one of the above four types can also be the other status types.

The status object 122 is corresponded to the status of "Running", the status object 132 is corresponded to the status of "Waiting", the status object 142 is corresponded to the status of "Finished", and the status object 152 is corresponded to the status of "Error".

Each of the status objects includes an object that indicates a status type and a value that indicates the number of storage operation tasks that belong to the status type. The object that indicates a status type can include at least one of a graphic (an icon) that indicates a status type and a character string that indicates a name of a status type for instance. The object that indicates a status type can also include an object of a type different from a graphic and a character string.

The alert object 161 is an object related to an alert that is generated by detecting a failure of hardware in a storage system. The alert object 161 include an object that indicates an alert and the value that indicates the number of alerts for instance. The object that indicates an alert can include at least one of a graphic (an icon) that indicates an alert and a character string that indicates an alert (for instance "New Alerts"). The object that indicates an alert can also include an object of a type different from a graphic and a character string.

The second area 120 is displayed without being affected by a switch of a tub screen. In other words, although is switched corresponding to a tub in which a user specification has been executed for the first area 110, a display of the second area 120 is not affected by a switch of a tub screen. More specifically, as shown in <figref idref="f0002">Fig. 2</figref> for instance, in the case in which a user specification is executed for another tub "Report", although a tub screen is switched from a tub screen 111 shown in <figref idref="f0001">Fig.1</figref> to a tub screen 211 shown in <figref idref="f0002">Fig. 2</figref> for the first area 110, a display of the second area 120 is not modified in synchronization with a switch of a tub screen. By the above configuration, even in the case in which a user operation is executed on a specific tub screen, a task status can be easily confirmed.

The meanings of "without being affected" and "not modified in synchronization with" are that at least the second area 120 is not affected or not modified for the purpose of that "a summary view related to at least one storage operation task that has been created by executing a work operation of a user is displayed". For instance, even in the case in which a display of the second area 120 is switched corresponding to a switch of a tub screen, when a user who is in visual contact with the screen can recognize it as the same summary, it is apparent that an understanding of a summary by a user is not affected even in the case in which at least one of the following items and a display switch of the second area 120 occur corresponding to a switch of a tub screen: <ul id="ul0006" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>(*) a display location of a status object or an alert object is modified;</li><li>(*) a font of a status object or an alert object is modified;</li><li>(*) an icon that indicates a type of status of a font of a status object is modified. An icon before a modification and an icon after a modification represent the same type of a status; and</li><li>(*) an icon that represents an alert of an alert object is modified. Both of an icon before a modification and an icon after a modification represent an alert.</li></ul>

As another example of being not affected or being not modified, there can be mentioned for instance (1) a type of a status that is represented by a status object that is displayed in the second area 120 by a switch of a tub screen is not changed, or (2) a value that indicates the number of storage operation tasks that belong to each of the status types is not changed. Moreover, as a second example, a display dot of the second area 120 is not changed by a switch of a tub screen. For the second example, a load of a screen display processing is smallest as compared with other examples. In addition, since a display dot of a screen display is not changed for the Flash technology and the Silverlight technology, it can make a contribution to a reduction of a communication amount between a client 555 and a server 557.

It is preferable that the second area 120 is displayed in such a manner that the second area 120 is not overlapped on the first area 110 (in particular a tub screen). In the present embodiment, the second area 120 is a band-like area that is long in a horizontal direction (in a transverse direction), and is disposed under the first area 110 (for instance, at the bottom of the Web browser screen 101). However, the location of the second area 120 is not restricted to the location shown in the figure. The second area 120 can also be disposed on the first area 110 for instance. Moreover, the second area 120 can also be a band-like area that is long in a vertical direction (in a longitudinal direction), and can be disposed at the right of or at the left of the first area 110. Moreover, the second area 120 can also be displayed on the front of the first area 110.

The management client program is an RIA. Consequently, a management client program receives the information from a server without issuing a request to the server. In other words, a server can provide the information to a client without a request from a client (or in non-synchronization with the operation timing of an input device) not as a response to a request from a client. There are some types of the information, and two examples of them will be described in the following.

(Example 1) In the case in which a server detects that a status of a storage operation task is modified, the server transmits the information that indicates the modification of the storage operation task (hereafter referred to as the task status modification information) to a client. More specifically, a display of the second area 120 at a point of time is one shown in <figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3A</figref> for instance. In the course of time, a storage operation task that has a status of "Running" (that is, a task that is being executed) is terminated. In the case in which a server detects that, the server transmits the task status modification information to a client. The task status modification information includes the information that indicates a reduction of the number of storage operation tasks that belong to a status in which the number of storage operation tasks is reduced ("Running") and the information that indicates an increase of the number of storage operation tasks that belong to a status in which the number of storage operation tasks is increased ("Finished") for instance. The information that indicates a reduction can also be a value that indicates the number of storage operation tasks after the reduction and can also be the information that indicates a reduction by 1. Similarly, the information that indicates an increase can also be a value that indicates the number of storage operation tasks after the increase and can also be the information that indicates an increase by 1. In the case in which a client receives the task status modification information, the management client program modifies a display of the second area 120 in accordance with the task status modification information. More specifically, the management client program executes the following modification of a display as being found by comparing <figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B</figref>: <ul id="ul0007" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>(*) makes the number of storage operation tasks that belong to the status "Running" to be a value that is obtained by subtracting 1 from the number of storage operation tasks; and</li><li>(*) makes a display mode of an icon that is corresponded to the status "Finished" to be another display mode for a certain period of time, and makes the number of storage operation tasks that belong to the status "Finished" to be a value that is obtained by adding 1 to the number of storage operation tasks. In the case in which another display mode of an icon is a display mode different from a normal display mode of an icon, any display mode can also be adopted. In the present embodiment, a display that conforms to another display mode of an icon is a display in which an icon is luminous in such a manner that a range that includes an icon and that is larger than an icon is luminous in a sickly bright color as shown in <figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3B</figref>. The display is terminated after a certain period of time (for instance several seconds) elapses. In other words, a display of the second area 120 transits from a display shown in <figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3B</figref> to a display shown in <figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3C</figref> after a certain period of time. For this example, although some modification examples (for instance the following modification example) are thought, it is though to be preferable that a display mode is modified only for a status object of a status in which the number of storage operation tasks is increased (that is, a status to which a storage operation task is transited is notified of) of a status object of a status in which the number of storage operation tasks is increased and a status object of a status in which the number of storage operation tasks is reduced from the point of view of understanding an execution situation of a storage operation task by a user.</li><li>(*) a display mode of a whole or a part (for instance a text) of a status object that is corresponded to a status in which the number of storage operation tasks has been increased (here a status object 142) is modified; and</li><li>(*) a display mode of a whole or a part (for instance an icon and/or a text) of a status object that is corresponded to a status in which the number of storage operation tasks has been increased (here a status object 122) is modified as substitute for or in addition to a status in which the number of storage operation tasks has been increased.</li></ul>

(Example 2) In the case in which a server detects some kind or another hardware failure related to a storage system (for instance, a failure of a controller and a failure of a physical storage device), the server transmits the information that indicates the modification related to a hardware failure (hereafter referred to as the alert information) to a client. The alert information can include the information that indicates that a hardware failure has occurred and the detailed information related to a hardware failure that has been detected (for instance, the identification information (such as a name) of a device in which a failure has occurred and a location in which the device is mounted) for instance. In the case in which a client receives the alert information, the management client program modifies a display mode of an alert object 161 of the second area 120. More specifically, the management client program adds 1 to a value that indicates the number of alerts and modifies a display mode of a whole of the alert object 161 from a normal display mode as being found by a comparison of <figref idref="f0004">Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B</figref> for instance. Further more specifically, the management client program makes a whole of the alert object 161 to be a red display and makes the red display blink on and off. Not only a whole but also a part (for instance, an icon or a text) of a display mode of an alert object 161 can also be modified. A modification of a display mode of an alert object 161 is not restricted to blinking, and it can also be another modification such as lighting.

The above described an example of the information that is transmitted from a server to a client in a positive manner.

In accordance with the above example 1, some kind or another highlighting is executed for a certain period of time as a modification of a display mode of a status object, and the highlighting is then terminated in an automatic manner (that is, without a specific user operation). A "specific user operation" described here can be a user operation for notifying the management client program of that a user has found some kind or another highlighting related to a status object.

On the other hand, in accordance with the above example 2, some kind or another highlighting (for instance, a blinking of a display of a predetermined color) is continued until the specific user operation is executed as a modification of a display mode of an alert object 161. A "specific user operation" described here can be a user operation (for instance, a click of an alert object 161) for notifying the management client program of that a user has found some kind or another highlighting related to the alert object 161.

As described above, for a highlighting of a status object, a highlighting is terminated in the case in which a certain period of time elapses without a specific user operation. However, for a highlighting of an alert object 161, a highlighting is continued in the case in which a specific user operation is not executed. Any highlighting brings about an attention of a user. A highlighting of a status object is terminated in an automatic manner in the case in which a certain period of time elapses. Consequently, the strength of bringing about an attention of a user for a highlighting of a status object is smaller than the strength of bringing about an attention of a user for a highlighting of an alert object 161.

In the following descriptions, a highlighting of a status object (a highlighting that is terminated without a specific user operation in the case in which a certain period of time elapses) will be referred to as a "weak arousal display", and a highlighting of an alert object 161 (a highlighting that is terminated by a specific user operation) will be referred to as a "strong arousal display".

It is thought that a detection of a modification of a status of a storage operation task has an importance lower than that of a detection of a hardware failure. Consequently, in the case in which a highlighting of a status object and a highlighting of an alert object 161 are displays that have the equivalent strength, the second area 120 may be hard to be visible. Therefore, it is preferable that a strong arousal display is executed for an alert object 161 and a weak arousal display (a highlighting that is terminated in an automatic manner in the case in which a certain period of time elapses) is executed for a status object.

Moreover, a modification of a status of a storage operation task is executed from one moment to the next as there is a larger amount of storage operation tasks that is waiting an execution and/or storage operation tasks that is being executed. However, in the case in which a highlighting of a status object is continued until a specific user operation is executed, a highlighting of all status objects is executed in the course of time. In that case, a situation of an execution of a storage operation task is hard to be known. From such a point of view, for a modification of a status of a storage operation task, it is preferable that a weak arousal display is executed for a status object.

A mode for the present invention will be described below in detail.

&lt;Details of an embodiment of the present invention&gt;

<figref idref="f0005">Fig. 5</figref> shows the configuration of a computer system and a management system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

A computer system includes at least one host 553 and at least one storage system 551 that is coupled to the at least one host 553. The host 553 is coupled to the storage system 551 via a communication network (such as a SAN (Storage Area Network) or a LAN (Local Area Network)) for instance.

The storage system 551 has a physical storage device group 563 and a controller 561 that is coupled to the physical storage device group 563.

The physical storage device group 563 has at least one RAID (Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks) group (referred to as a parity group in some cases). The RAID group is configured by a plurality of physical storage devices and stores data in accordance with a predetermined RAID level. The physical storage device is an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive) for instance.

The storage system 551 has a plurality of logical volumes. As a logical volume, there can be mentioned for instance a substantive logical volume (a real volume) 565 based on the RAID (Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks) group) or a virtual logical volume (a virtual volume) 567 that conforms to the Thin Provisioning or a storage virtualization technique. It is not necessary that one storage system 551 has logical volumes of a plurality of types. For instance, the storage system 551 can have only a real volume 565 as a logical volume.

The controller 561 receives an I/O (Input/Output) command (a write command or a read command) from the host 553, and controls the I/O of data that conforms to the I/O command. More specifically, the controller 561 specifies a logical volume of an I/O destination from the I/O command that has been received, and executes the I/O of data to the logical volume that has been specified for instance.

The management system includes a server 557 and at least one client 555 that is coupled to the server 557. The client 555 is coupled to the server 557 via a communication network (such as a LAN, a WAN (World Area Network), and the Internet) 521 for instance.

The client 555 has an input device 501, a display device 502, a storage resource (such as a memory) 505, a communication interface device (hereafter referred to as an I/F) 507, and a processor (such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit)) 503 that is coupled to the input device 501, the display device 502, the storage resource 505, and the communication interface device 507. The input device 501 is a pointing device and a keyboard for instance. The display device 502 is a device that has a display screen on which the information is displayed for instance. A device of a touch panel type in which the input device 501 and the display device 502 are formed in an integrated manner with each other can also be adopted. The I/F 507 is coupled to the communication network 521, and the client 555 can communicate with the server 557 via the I/F 507. A part or a whole of a network that connects the communication network 521 and the host 553 with each other and a part or a whole of a network that connects the communication network 521 and the storage system 551 with each other can share each other in common.

The storage resource 505 has at least a main storage device (a memory in a quintessential manner) of a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device for instance. The storage resource 505 can store a computer program that is executed by the processor 503 and the information that is used by the processor 503. More specifically, the storage resource 505 stores a Web browser 511 and a management client program 513 for instance. The management client program 513 is an RIA (Rich Internet Application). More specifically, the management client program 513, which is a program file, is downloaded from the server 557 (or another computer) and is stored into the storage resource 505 for instance. The management client program 513 is executed by a computer program not shown (such as the flash player of Adobe Corporation) in an RIA execution environment. Consequently in the present embodiment, an operation of the management client program 513 is an operation that conforms to the RIA execution environment (a computer program that executes the management client program). Even in the case in which a function set that is not installed in the RIA execution environment that is executed by a client (for instance, a communication processing, an I/O processing, and a processing call of a subroutine and an event handler, etc.) is provided in a development environment that is not the RIA, it can be said that the function set cannot be used by the management client program 513.

The server 557 has a storage resource 535, an I/F 537, and a processor (such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit)) 533 that is coupled to the storage resource 535 and the I/F 537. The I/F 537 is coupled to a communication network 521, and the server 557 can communicate with a client 555 via the I/F 537.

The storage resource 535 has at least a main storage device (a memory in a quintessential manner) of a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device for instance. The storage resource 535 can store a computer program that is executed by the processor 533 and the information that is used by the processor 533. More specifically, the storage resource 535 stores a storage management program 540 and the storage management information 545 for instance. The storage management program 540 has a task control program 541 and a task monitoring program 542. The storage management information 545 has a task management table 543 and a user table 544. The task control program 541 registers and executes a storage operation task. The task monitoring program 542 monitors a change of a status of a storage operation task. The task management table 543 has the information related to a storage operation task. The user table 544 has the information related to a wide variety of statuses for every user. In addition, the storage management information 545 can also have the configuration information and the setting information of the storage system 551 (for instance, at least one of contents that is displayed on the screen of <figref idref="f0001">Fig. 1</figref>). Although it is assumed that at least a part of contents of the storage management information is received from the storage system 551, a part of contents of the storage management information can also be received by other methods (such as a manual input and acquiring via another computer or a storage medium). Although the storage management information 545 also includes the information related to a hardware failure as a matter of course, the information related to a hardware failure can also exist as a part of the configuration information or can also exist as a failure history.

The storage management processing that is corresponded to a user operation can be implemented by a cooperative processing of the storage management program 540, the Web browser 511 (or the RIA execution environment of a client), and the management client program 513. As an example of the cooperative processing, there can be mentioned for instance the following processing: <ul id="ul0008" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>(Cooperative example 1) The Web browser 511 (or the management client program 513) stores a part of the storage management information 545 that is necessary for a user operation that is executed on a screen that is being displayed and the display information that has been calculated based on the storage management information 545 as the temporary information into the storage resource 505. The display information indicates not only the information that is displayed but also the control information that is used for a display processing. A part of the storage management information 545 is transmitted by the storage management program 540. Moreover, a part of the display information can also be calculated and transmitted by the storage management program 540. The management client program 513 then implement a storage management processing by using the temporary information to a part of a user operation.</li><li>(Cooperative example 2) The storage management program 540 creates and transmits a display image. The Web browser 511 (or the management client program 513) receives the display image and executes an actual screen display. The Web browser 511 (or the management client program 513) receives an input of a user (a keyboard input and a click location), and transmits the input of a user to the storage management program 540.</li></ul>

It is not necessary that the management client program 513 communicates with the storage management program 540 on a consistent basis in some cases (in the case in which the management client program 513 can correspond to a user operation by the temporary information for instance). In this case, the client 555 as a simple element can provide a monitoring work or a management work to a user. The following descriptions will be carried out while assuming Cooperative example 1. However, the following descriptions can also be understood as the descriptions of Cooperative example 2 by considering that a part of the management client program 513 is executed by the storage management program 540 as a matter of course.

<figref idref="f0006">Fig. 6A</figref> shows the configuration of a task management table 543.

The task management table 543 has the following information for every storage operation task for instance: <ul id="ul0009" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>(*) a task ID 601 that is an identifier of a storage operation task;</li><li>(*) a storage ID 602 that is an identifier of a storage system 551 that is an operation target that conforms to a storage operation task;</li><li>(*) a task type 603 that is the information that indicates a type of a storage operation task;</li><li>(*) a user ID 604 that is an identifier of a user who has executed a work operation for creating a storage operation task;</li><li>(*) a status 605 that is a value that indicates a status of a storage operation task; and</li><li>(*) an update time 606 that is the information that indicates a latest time when a status of a storage operation task was updated.</li></ul> As described above, the task management table 543 has the information related to all storage operation tasks that have been created by all work operations of a user of at least one client 555. As a type of a storage operation task, there can be mentioned for instance a wide variety of types such as the following types: <ul id="ul0010" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>(*) creating a logical volume (for instance, a real volume or a virtual volume) in the storage system 551;</li><li>(*) allocating a logical volume that has been created in the storage system 551 to a host 553 (determining and specifying a host 553 and a logical volume that is provided to the host 553);</li></ul><ul id="ul0011" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>(*) associating a pool (a storage area that has been configured by a sub storage area of a "page" that is a unit of an allocation) with a virtual volume that conforms to the Thin Provisioning; and</li><li>(*) associating a real volume in a storage system other than a storage system that has the virtual volume with a virtual volume that conforms to the storage virtualization technique.</li></ul>

<figref idref="f0006">Fig. 6B</figref> shows the configuration of a user table 544.

The user table 544 has the following information for every user for instance: <ul id="ul0012" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>(*) a user ID 611 that is an identifier of a user;</li><li>(*) the number of Waiting statuses 612 that is a value that indicates the number of storage operation tasks that has a status of "Waiting";</li><li>(*) the number of Running statuses 613 that is a value that indicates the number of storage operation tasks that has a status of "Running";</li><li>(*) the number of Finished statuses 614 that is a value that indicates the number of storage operation tasks that has a status of "Finished";</li><li>(*) the number of Error statuses 615 that is a value that indicates the number of storage operation tasks that has a status of "Error"; and</li><li>(*) the number of alerts 616 that is a value that indicates the number of alerts (for instance, unresolved alerts).</li></ul> As described above, the t user table 544 has the information that indicates a status of a storage operation task that exists, the number of the storage operation tasks, and the number of alerts for every user.

An example of a flow that is executed in the present embodiment will be described below in detail. In the example, a storage operation task is an allocation of a logical volume to a host. Moreover, one user is adopted as an example in the following. The user is referred to as a "target user" in the following. The task control program 541 can identify that a user of a client 555 of the other side of a communication is a target user for the server 557. For instance, a target user can be identified by a user ID that has been input during a login of a target user. The storage management program 540 can executed the above identification by inputting a user ID from a user to a client 555 and by transmitting the user ID to the server 557.

As shown in <figref idref="f0007">Fig. 7</figref>, the following processing is executed on a tub screen of a tub "Resource": <ul id="ul0013" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>(*) a user specification of a storage ID "DEF" of a resource "Storages" is executed for a sub area 181; and</li><li>(*) a user specification of a task type "Allocate Storages" is executed for a sub area 183.</li></ul> The management client program 513 detects that such a user specification has been executed via the Web browser 511.

A value that is displayed in the second area 120 of <figref idref="f0007">Fig. 7</figref> is a value that is indicated by the number of statuses 612 to 615 and the number of alerts 616 that have registered in the user table 544 for the server 557 at first. The value that is indicated by the number of statuses 612 to 615 and the number of alerts 616 is notified of from the task control program 541 to the management client program 513, and is stored into a storage resource (such as a memory) 505 of the client 555. The value that has been stored is then displayed in the second area 120 by the Web browser 505. The value that is indicated by the number of statuses 612 to 615 and the number of alerts 616 is a value that indicates the number of storage operation tasks that belong to a status of "Running", a value that indicates the number of storage operation tasks that belong to a status of "Waiting", a value that indicates the number of storage operation tasks that belong to a status of "Finished", a value that indicates the number of storage operation tasks that belong to a status of "Error", and a value that indicates the number of alerts in the second area 120. Moreover for instance, "at first" means a time when a display that contains the first area 110 and the second area 120 is executed on the Web browser screen 101 for the first time.

In the case in which the management client program 513 detects the above described user specification to the Web browser screen 101 shown in <figref idref="f0007">Fig. 7</figref>, the management client program 513 displays a dialog box 801 as shown in <figref idref="f0008">Fig. 8</figref> and makes the Web browser screen 101 other than the dialog box 801 be in a disable state (a state in which a user operation to the Web browser screen 101 is disable). The dialog box 801 has an input field (that is also an object) of the information of a type that is required for allocating a logical volume in a storage system to a host and a button 803 for executing a display of an allocation plan that conforms to the information that has been input. It can also be said that the "plan" is a proposal of the storage management program 540.

In the case in which the information of a wide variety of types is input to the dialog box 801 by a user operation and a user specification is executed for the button 803 (the button 803 is pressed), the management client program 513 transmits the information of a wide variety of types that have been input to the server 557. The server 557 creates an allocation plan of a logical volume based on the information of a wide variety of types and transmits the information that indicates the plan (hereafter referred to as the allocation plan information) to the client 555. The client 555 receives the allocation plan information, and the management client program 513 displays the dialog box 901 as shown in <figref idref="f0009">Fig. 9</figref>. Even at this point of time, a screen other than the dialog box 901 in the Web browser screen 101 is in a disable state. The dialog box 901 displays the allocation plan information that has been received by the client 555 and a button 903 for notifying of that the allocation plan that conforms to the information is arrived at an agreement.

In the case in which a user specification is executed for the button 903 (the button 903 is pressed), the management client program 513 executes the following processing: <ul id="ul0014" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>(a1) the management client program 513 closes the dialog box 901 as shown in <figref idref="f0010">Fig. 10</figref>;</li><li>(a2) the management client program 513 smoothly (or a little bit at a time in small steps) reduces a display in the Web browser screen 101 to be a status object 132 (such as an icon) of a status type of "Waiting" as shown in <figref idref="f0010">Fig. 10</figref>;</li><li>(a3) the management client program 513 executes a weak arousal display for a status object 132 of a status of "Waiting" (more specifically, executes a highlighting of an icon for a certain period of time) as shown in <figref idref="f0011">Fig. 11</figref>;</li><li>(a4) the management client program 513 increases a value of the number of storage operation tasks that belong to a status of "Waiting" by 1 (and increases a value of the number of statuses of "Waiting" that has been stored into the storage resource 505 of the client 555 by 1) as shown in <figref idref="f0011">Fig. 11</figref>;</li><li>(a5) the management client program 513 changes a state of the Web browser screen 101 from a disable state to an enable state (a state in which a user operation to the Web browser screen 101 is valid) as shown in <figref idref="f0011">Fig. 11</figref>; and</li><li>(a6) the management client program 513 transmits the information that indicates a storage operation task (hereafter referred to as the task information) that conforms to the information (for instance, a content that is displayed as a plan) that indicates an allocation plan that has been arrived at an agreement by a target user (an allocation plan that has been displayed in the dialog box 901) to the task control program 541.</li><li>In the case in which the task control program 541 receives the task information from the client 555, the task control program 541 executes a registration/execution processing of a task.</li></ul> The task information includes a storage ID ("DEF") and the information that indicates a type of a task ("Allocate Storage") for instance.

Since a plan that is a source of the task information is created by the storage management program 540, it is also possible that an identifier of a plan is transmitted in the above (a6) and the task control program 541 creates the task information that is received based on the identifier of a plan that has been received and the information of a plan in the above processing.

<figref idref="f0012">Fig. 12</figref> shows a flow of a registration/execution processing of a task.

The task control program 541 executes a registration processing of a task in the S1201. In other words, the task control program 541 adds the information related to a task that conforms to the task information to the task management table 543. More specifically, the task control program 541 executes the following processing for instance: <ul id="ul0015" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>(*) the task control program 541 decides a task ID for the storage operation task and registers the task ID that has been decided as a task ID 601;</li><li>(*) the task control program 541 registers a storage ID that is included in the task information as a storage ID 602;</li><li>(*) the task control program 541 registers the information that indicates a task type that is included in the task information as a task type 603;</li><li>(*) the task control program 541 registers "Waiting" as a status 605; and</li><li>(*) the task control program 541 registers the information that indicates a current time (the information that indicates a time at a point of time of S1201) as an update time 606.</li></ul>

In the next place, the task control program 541 executes an execution processing of a task (the processing that includes the processing of S1202 to S1206). As substitute for or in addition to that the execution processing of a task is executed after the registration processing of a task (the execution processing of a task is executed taking the registration processing of a task as an opportunity), the execution processing of a task can also be executed without taking the execution processing of a task as an opportunity. For instance, the execution processing of a task can also be executed on a periodic basis.

In the S1202, the task control program 541 specifies the oldest Waiting task. More specifically, the task control program 541 specifies a storage operation task in which a time that is indicated by an update time 606 is oldest of at least one storage operation task that has a status 605 of "Waiting" for instance.

In the S1203, the task control program 541 modifies the status 605 to be "Running" and updates the update time 606 to be the information that indicates a time at a point of time of S1203 for the storage operation task that has been specified in the S1202.

In the S1204, the task control program 541 executes the storage operation task that has been specified in the S1202. More specifically, the task control program 541 creates a storage management instruction that is required for executing the storage operation task, transmits the storage management instruction to the storage system 551, and receives a result of the storage management instruction as needed to execute the storage operation task.

In the case in which the storage operation task that has been executed in the S1204 is terminated (S1205: Yes), the task control program 541 modifies the status 605 to be "Finished" and updates the update time 606 to be the information that indicates a time at a point of time of S1206 for the storage operation task.

<figref idref="f0013">Fig. 13</figref> shows a flow of a monitoring/display update processing of a task.

The present processing is started by the task monitoring program 542 on a periodic basis (or in a repetitive manner) for instance. The processing of the S1301 and the subsequent processing are executed for each of the information 612 to 616. The present processing will be described using one status as an example (referred to as a target status in the descriptions of <figref idref="f0013">Fig. 13</figref>).

In the S1301, the task monitoring program 542 refers to a user table 544 and specifies the number of the storage operation tasks that belong to the target status (the number of statuses).

In the S1302, the task monitoring program 542 refers to the task management table 543 and counts the number of the storage operation tasks that have the status 605 equivalent to the target status.

In the S1303, the task monitoring program 542 judges whether or not the number that has been specified in the S1301 and the number that has been counted in the S1302 are different from each other. In the case in which the result of the judgment is positive, the S1304 is executed. In the case in which the result of the judgment is negative, the processing is terminated for the target status and the S1301 is executed for another status.

In the S1304, the task monitoring program 542 updates the value that is corresponded to the target status in the user table 544 to be the value that indicates the number that has been counted in the S1302. Moreover, the task monitoring program 542 notifies the management client program 513 of the value that indicates the number that has been counted in the S1302.

In the S1305, the management client program 513 receives he value that indicates the number that has been counted in the S1302 from the task monitoring program 542, and updates the value that indicates the number of the storage operation tasks that belong to the target status in the second area 120 to be the value that has been received (the value that indicates the number that has been counted in the S1302).

In the S1306, the management client program 513 judges whether or not the value after the update in the S1305 is larger than the value before the update in the S1305 in the second area 120. In other words, the management client program 513 judges whether or not the number of the storage operation tasks that belong to the target status has been increased. In the case in which the result of the judgment is positive, the S1307 is executed. In the case in which the result of the judgment is negative, the processing is terminated for the target status and the S1301 is executed for another status.

In the S1307, the management client program 513 executes a weak arousal display for an icon that is corresponded to the target status. The S1307 and the S1305 can also be executed at the same time.

The descriptions of the present embodiment have been executed above. The storage management software can be provided as an RIA by the present embodiment.

Moreover, in the case in which a user operation for executing a work operation for creating a storage operation task moreover, the Web browser screen 101 becomes in the disable state and a work operation screen (such as a dialog box) that is a screen that is used in a work operation is displayed on the front of the Web browser screen 101. In the case in which a work operation is executed via a work operation screen (for instance, in the case in which the information related to a storage operation task is input), a status of the storage operation task that conforms to the work operation is managed as "Waiting". The disable state of the Web browser screen 101 is then canceled without an execution or a termination of the storage operation task. In other word, a work operation for newly creating a storage operation task can be enabled.

In the case in which a plurality of Web browsers is started and displayed and the same RIA is executed on each of a plurality of screens (more specifically, a plurality of the RIAs is executed by accessing Web pages that provide the same RIA in parallel in the Web browser screen (or in a tub screen of the Web browser screen)), a plurality of user operations are thought to be possible on the surface. However, it is not always true that an operation that has been executed by a storage operation task (process) is reflected to another storage operation task (process) in an expeditious way from the point of view of a characteristic of the RIA. As one of causes related to the reflection, the RIA is a program in which a wide area network (such as the Internet) is assumed. Even in the case in which a plurality of the RIAs that have been started is executed by the same client, each of the RIAs is frequently handled as being executed by different computers from the point of view of an RIA execution environment. As a result, even in the case in which a plurality of the RIAs is started by the same client, the above reflection cannot be executed in an orderly fashion and a storage management cannot be easily executed.

Consequently, even in the case in which the management client program is an RIA in the present embodiment, it can be said that a plurality of the information of the storage operation task can be input in parallel in essence without opening a plurality of Web browser screens (in other words, in a single Web browser screen). More specifically, in the case in which at least one storage operation task is in a wait state, it can be said that the information of the storage operation task can be newly input via a work operation screen that is displayed on the front of the Web browser screen. As a result, even in the case in which the management client program 513 is an RIA, a reduction of operability for a user can be moderated.

In accordance with the present embodiment, in the case in which a status of a storage operation task that is managed by the server 557 is modified, a value that indicates the latest number (the number after the update) of storage operation tasks that belong to the status is notified of from the task monitoring program 542 to the management client program 513. The value that is corresponded to the status in the second area 120 is then updated to be the value that has been notified of. Consequently, a user can know the latest number of storage operation tasks that is accompanied with a modification of a status of the storage operation task in an expeditious way.

While the preferred embodiments in accordance with the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not restricted to the embodiments, and various changes, modifications, and functional additions can be thus made without departing from the scope of the present invention as a matter of course.

For instance, for the display device 502 of the client 555, it can also be possible that the display on the first area 110 is a display for a plurality of user (for instance, all users) and the display on the second area 120 is a display for a user of the client 555. The display for a plurality of user can also be a list of the information related to a storage operation task that belongs to Waiting, Running, and Error (hereafter referred to as a first list) as shown in <figref idref="f0014">Fig. 14</figref>, or the display for a plurality of user can also be a list of the information related to a storage operation task that belongs to Finished (hereafter referred to as a second list) as shown in <figref idref="f0015">Fig. 15</figref>. The first list and the second list can also include the information that is included in the task management table 543, can also be transmitted from the task control program 557 to the management client program 513, and can also be displayed on the first area 110 by the management client program 513. This is because an ingenuity on a display of the second area 120 targets a task of a target user whereby a highlighting is avoided, and on the other hand, a situation of a task that has been created by another user must be confirmed as needed in some case (for instance, in the case of a user of an upper level of each user).

Moreover for instance, the processing that has been described with reference to <figref idref="f0010">Fig. 10</figref> and <figref idref="f0011">Fig. 11</figref> can also be executed after the task control program 541 executes a task registration processing. More specifically, the following flow can also be executed: <ul id="ul0016" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>(*) the management client program 513 transmits the information related to that an allocation plan has been arrived at an agreement by a user to the task control program 541;</li><li>(*) the task control program 541 receives the information, executes the task registration processing, and transmits the information related to the number of storage operation tasks that belong to a status of "Waiting" (for instance, that the number has been increased by 1, or the number after the modification) to the management client program 513; and</li><li>(*) the management client program 513 receives the information and executes the processing that has been described with reference to <figref idref="f0010">Fig. 10</figref> and <figref idref="f0011">Fig. 11</figref>.</li></ul>

Moreover, the processing of a wide variety of types that has been described in the present embodiment can also be executed by the storage management program 540 or the management client program 513. However, it is preferable that the server 557 is in charge of the processing for obtaining the information from the storage system and the processing for transmitting a management instruction that is to be configured for the storage system. This is because since the client 555 can be a computer that is coupled to the communication network 521 even on a temporary basis, an installation of a processing for obtaining the information in a repetitive manner from the storage system is unsuitable (or the installation is hard to be executed). Moreover, it is convenient from a point of view of a security that a management instruction that may cause an elimination of data or a stoppage of a storage system is transmitted from the server 557 that has been determined.

[Reference Signs List]

<dl id="dl0001"><dt>101:</dt><dd>Web browser screen</dd><dt>511:</dt><dd>Web browser</dd><dt>513:</dt><dd>Management client program</dd><dt>541:</dt><dd>Task control program</dd><dt>542:</dt><dd>Task monitoring program</dd><dt>543:</dt><dd>Task management table</dd><dt>544:</dt><dd>User table</dd></dl>