1. A storage system configuration management method executed by a management computer, for detecting a mismatch between management ranges of a first storage area set inside a storage system, and a second storage area in a management range of a user set inside the management computer, a plurality of host computers connected to the storage system,
the first storage area being constituted by groups, each group formed by an aggregate of a plurality of storage area units, each group being managed at the storage system which aggregates logical volume units including a plurality of the storage area units, and the second storage area in the management range of the user being managed by logical volume units including a plurality of the storage area units,
the method comprising:
when identifiers of a plurality of the storage area units are designated as managed objects, obtaining an identifier of at least one of the groups to which the designated plurality of storage area units belong;
referencing an identifier of a user whose management range is at least one of the groups, and determining whether or not the group obtained at the obtaining step is in the management range of the same user; and
when the obtained group is partitioned into management ranges of a plurality of users, outputting the determination result;
wherein the management range of a host computer does not correspond to the management range of the user using the host computer.
2. A storage system configuration management method executed by a management computer, for detecting a mismatch between management ranges of a first storage area set inside a storage system, and a second storage area in a management range of a user set inside the management computer, a plurality of host computers connected to the storage system,
the first storage area being constituted by groups each formed by an aggregate of a plurality of storage area units, each group being managed at the storage system which aggregates logical volume units including a plurality of the storage area units, and the second storage area in the management range of the user being managed by logical volume units including a plurality of the storage area units,
the method comprising:
when an identifier of at least one of the groups is designated as a managed object, obtaining identifiers of a plurality of the storage area units belonging to the designated group;
referencing a first table storing an identifier of a user whose management range is at least one of the storage area units, and determining whether or not the plurality of the storage area units obtained at the obtaining step are in the management range of the same user; and
when the obtained plurality of storage area units are partitioned into the management ranges of a plurality of users, outputting the determination result;
wherein the management range of a host computer does not correspond to the management range of the user using the host computer.
3. The storage system configuration management method according to claim 1, further comprising:
when the management range is partitioned for a plurality of users, displaying the identifier of the storage area unit that is a migration source candidate when migration is conducted to modify the management range of the user; and
removing the storage area unit that is selected as the migration source from the group, so as to modify the management range of the user so that the remaining group constitutes a management range of the same user.
4. The storage system configuration management method according to claim 2, further comprising:
when the management range is partitioned for a plurality of users, displaying the identifier of the storage area unit that is a migration source candidate when migration is conducted to modify the management range of the user; and
removing the storage area unit that is selected as the migration source from the group, so as to modify the management range of the user so that the remaining group constitutes a management range of the same user.
5. The storage system configuration management method, according to claim 1, further comprising:
referencing a table storing a correspondence between an identifier of a system provided inside the storage system and an identifier of a user, and determining whether or not a user corresponding to a designated system is registered in the table;
when it is determined that the user is registered in the table, obtaining the identifier of the user that is set in the storage system for the designated system;
determining whether or not the identifier of the user registered in the table and corresponding to the designated system and the identifier of the user thus obtained match each other; and
when the identifiers of the users do not match each other with respect to the system, outputting the determination result.
6. The storage system configuration management method, according to claim 2, further comprising:
referencing a second table storing a correspondence between an identifier of a system provided inside the storage system and an identifier of a user, and determining whether or not a user corresponding to a designated system is registered in the second table;
when it is determined that the user is registered in the second table, obtaining the identifier of the user that is set in the storage system for the designated system;
determining whether or not the identifier of the user registered in the second table and corresponding to the designated system and the identifier of the user thus obtained match each other; and
when the identifiers of the users do not match each other with respect to the system, outputting the determination result.
7. The storage system configuration management method according to claim 1, wherein the system is one of a port operating as a communications interface to a host computer that accesses the first storage area in the storage system, and a cache partition relating to a cache that is a temporary storage system of the storage system.
8. The storage system configuration management method according to claim 2, wherein the system is one of a port operating as a communications interface to a host computer that accesses the first storage area in the storage system, and a cache partition relating to a cache that is a temporary storage system of the storage system.
9. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a management computer to realize a function of detecting a mismatch between management ranges of a first storage area set inside a storage system, and a second storage area in a management range of a user set inside the management computer, a plurality of host computers connected to the storage system,
the first storage area being constituted by groups each formed by an aggregate of a plurality of storage area units, and the second storage area in the management range of the user being managed by logical volume units including a plurality of the storage area units,
the program comprising:
code that, when identifiers of a plurality of the storage area units are designated to the management computer as managed objects, obtains an identifier of at least one of the groups to which the designated plurality of storage area units belong;
code that references a table storing an identifier of a user whose management range is at least one of the groups, and determines whether or not the group obtained by the code that obtains is in the management range of the same user; and
code that, when the obtained group is partitioned into the management ranges of a plurality of users, outputs the determination result;
wherein the management range of a host computer does not correspond to the management range of the user using the host computer.
10. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a management computer to realize a function of detecting a mismatch between management ranges of a first storage area set inside a storage system, and a second storage area in a management range of a user set inside the management computer, a plurality of host computers connected to the storage system,
the first storage area being constituted by groups each formed by an aggregate of a plurality of storage area units, and the second storage area in the management range of the user being managed by logical volume units including a plurality of the storage area units,
the program comprising:
code that, when an identifier of at least one of the groups is designated to the management computer as a managed object, obtains identifiers of a plurality of the storage area units to which the designated groups belong;
code that references a table storing an identifier of a user whose management range is at least one of the storage area units, and determines whether or not the plurality of the storage area units obtained by the code that obtains are in the management range of the same user; and
code that, when the obtained plurality of storage area units are partitioned into the management ranges of a plurality of users, outputs the determination result;
wherein the management range of a host computer does not correspond to the management range of the user using the host computer.
11. A storage system configuration management system, comprising: a storage system holding a plurality of volumes, a management computer connected to the storage system, and a plurality of host computers connected to the storage system,
a first storage area being constituted by groups each formed by an aggregate of a plurality of the volumes, and a second storage area in the management range of the user set in the management computer being managed by logical volume units including a plurality of the volumes,
wherein the management computer has a CPU and a memory, and holds in the memory a storage system management information table storing an identifier of a user whose management range is the group; and
wherein the CPU, when identifiers of a plurality of the volumes are designated as managed objects, obtains an identifier of at least one of the groups to which the designated plurality of volumes belong; references the storage system management information table, and determines whether or not the group obtained is in the management range of the same user; and, when the obtained group is partitioned into the management ranges of a plurality of users, outputs the determination result;
wherein the management range of a host computer does not correspond to the management range of the user using the host computer.
12. A storage system configuration management system, comprising:
a storage system holding a plurality of volumes, a management computer connected to the storage system, and a plurality of host computers connected to the storage system,
a first storage area being constituted by groups each formed by an aggregate of a plurality of the volumes, and a second storage area in the management range of the user set in the management computer being managed by logical volume units including a plurality of the volumes,
wherein the management computer has a CPU and a memory, and holds in the memory a storage system management information table storing an identifier of a user whose management range is at least one of the volumes, and
wherein the CPU, when identifiers of at least one of the groups are designated as managed objects, obtains identifiers of the plurality of volumes to which the designated groups belong; references the storage system management information table, and determines whether or not the obtained plurality of volumes are in the management range of the same user; and when the obtained plurality of volumes are partitioned into the management ranges of a plurality of users, outputs the determination result;
wherein the management range of a host computer does not correspond to the management range of the user using the host computer.
13. The storage system configuration management system according to claim 11, wherein the group is an aggregate of the volumes capable of constituting at least one RAID structure.
14. The storage system configuration management system according to claim 12, wherein the group is an aggregate of the volumes capable of constituting at least one RAID structure.
15. The storage system configuration management system according to claim 11, wherein the CPU:
when the management range is partitioned for a plurality of users, displays the identifier of the volume that is a migration source candidate when migration is conducted to modify the management range of the user; and
removes the volume that is selected as the migration source from the group, so as to modify the management range of the user so that the remaining group constitutes a management range of the same user.
16. The storage system configuration management system according to claim 12, wherein the CPU:
when the management range is partitioned for a plurality of users, displays the identifier of the volume that is a migration source candidate when migration is conducted to modify the management range of the user; and
removes the volume that is selected as the migration source from the group, so as to modify the management range of the user so that the remaining group constitutes a management range of the same user.
17. The storage system configuration management system according to claim 11, wherein the CPU:
references a table storing a correspondence between an identifier of a system provided inside the storage system and an identifier of a user, and determines whether or not a user corresponding to a designated system is registered in the table;
when it is determined that the user is registered in the table, obtains the identifier of the user that is set in the storage system for the designated system;
determines whether or not the identifier of the user registered in the table and corresponding to the designated system, and the identifier of the user thus obtained match each other; and
when the identifiers of the users do not match each other with respect to the system, outputs the determination result.
18. The storage system configuration management system according to claim 12, wherein the CPU:
references a table storing a correspondence between an identifier of a system provided inside the storage system and an identifier of a user, and determines whether or not a user corresponding to a designated system is registered in the table;
when it is determined that the user is registered in the table, obtains the identifier of the user that is set in the storage system for the designated system;
determines whether or not the identifier of the user registered in the table and corresponding to the designated system, and the identifier of the user thus obtained match each other; and
when the identifiers of both users do not match each other with respect to the system, outputs the determination result.
19. The storage system configuration management system according to claim 11, wherein the system is one of a port operating as a communications interface to a host computer that accesses the first storage area in the storage system, and a cache partition relating to a cache that is a temporary storage system of the storage system.
20. A storage system configuration management system, comprising:
a management computer having a CPU, a memory and an interface connected to a network;
a plurality of storage systems having a processor, a memory, a plurality of volumes storing data, a first interface connected via a network to the management computer, and a plurality of second interfaces connected to a host computer via a network; and
a plurality of host computers connected to the second interface via a network for using the data,
wherein each of the storage systems holds, in the memory, storage system configuration information that associates a second interface connected via the host computer to a data storage group, with a storage system user who manages the data storage group, that is constituted by a plurality of storage areas provided to the storage system; and
wherein the management computer holds, in the memory, management information that associates a management group having at least one or more sets of the host computer and a plurality of volumes accessible by the host computer, the second interface for the host computer to access the volumes, and the user of the management group; and
wherein the CPU:
receives a designation of the data storage group;
obtains, via the first interface, the storage system configuration information from the storage system to which the designated group belongs;
retrieves, from the management information, the management group to which the storage area included in the designated group belongs, based on the obtained storage system configuration information;
judges based on the result of the retrieval whether or not the user of the management group included in the retrieved management information, and the storage system user managing the storage area of the designated group, match each other, and when the result of the judgment indicates a mismatch, displays a screen indicating the mismatch;
when the result of the judgment indicates a match, further judges, based on the retrieved management information, whether or not any of the storage areas belonging to the management group matches a storage area in the designated group; and
when the judgment result indicates a mismatch, displays a screen indicating the mismatch;
wherein if mismatch is indicated, the user can select to change the storage configuration or to change the management group,
wherein the management range of a host computer does not correspond to the management range of the user using the host computer.
21. A management method of a computer system, the computer system including a storage system having storage units configured with logical volumes and host computers accessing the logical volumes via a network, the method comprising:
partitioning a plurality of the host computers into a plurality of access management groups, each of the access management groups includes at least one of the host computers;
partitioning a plurality of the storage units of the storage system into a plurality of storage resource groups;
comparing one of the access management groups which includes one of the host computers recognizing the logical volumes with at least two of the storage resource groups including storage units configured with the logical volumes; and
outputting results of the comparison as to whether the logical volumes provided with the host computers in one of the access management groups are in different storage resource groups,
wherein if the users are different among the storage resource groups, further partitioning to the access management group occurs so that the user of the access management group is the same as the storage resource management group.
22. A management method of a computer system according to claim 21, further comprising:
setting a user to manage partitioned host computers in any of the access management groups;
setting a user to manage partitioned storage units in at least one of the storage resource groups;
referencing the users to be set among the access management group and the storage resource groups; and
if the users are different among the storage resource groups, changing the user of the storage resource groups to be same as the user of the access management group.
23. A management method of a computer system according to claim 21, further comprising:
setting a user to manage partitioned host computers in any of the access management groups;
setting a user to manage partitioned storage units in at least one of the storage resource groups; and
referencing the users to be set among the access management group and the storage resource groups.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
receiving a request from a consumer of medical services to consult with a medical provider;
establishing a telephone-based communication over a telephone-based communication channel between the consumer of medical services and a provider of medical services based on the received request;
establishing, by a computer, a record based on the communication;
prompting the provider to furnish an audio message related to the telephone-based communication after the consumer disconnects from the telephone-based communication;
receiving and recording, by the computer, the audio message from the provider after the consumer disconnects from the telephone-based communication without disconnecting the provider from the telephone-based communication channel established between the consumer and the provider; and
associating, by the computer, the audio message with the established record.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein prompting the provider comprises
prompting the provider to enter responses to questions using a numeric keypad of a telephone; and the method further comprises:
storing the entered numeric responses with the record of the engagement.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
retrieving the record of the engagement from a memory;
replaying the audio message; and
prompting the service provider to provide a written summary of the engagement.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein prompting the service provider comprises using an interactive voice response system to prompt the provider.
5. The method of claim 1 in which
the service provider is a physician and the consumer is a patient.
6. A computer implemented method, comprising
prompting a medical service provider to provide an audio message related to a telephone based engagement with a consumer of medical services;
recording the audio message provided by the medical service provider;
associating the audio message with a record of the engagement.
retrieving the record of the engagement from a memory;
replaying the audio message; and
prompting the medical service provider to generate a written summary of the engagement via a computer.
7. A computer-implemented method for determining compensation for a medical service provider, the method comprising:
establishing a communication between a consumer of medical services and a provider of medical services based on a request from the consumer of medical services to consult with a medical provider;
establishing a record based on the established communication;
prompting the service provider to furnish an electronic summary of the communication; and
providing a payment to the service provider after receipt of the electronic summary.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein providing payment to the service provider comprises:
determining if an electronic summary of the communication has been completed; and
if the electronic summary has been completed releasing payment to the service provider for the services.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising:
determining if an elapsed time since the communication between the consumer of medical services and the provider of medical services is greater than a threshold; and
if the elapsed time is greater than the threshold,
sending a message indicating that payment to the medical service provider for the communication is being withheld.
10. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium for providing broker services to consumers and service providers, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing a computer to:
receive a request from a consumer of medical services to consult with a medical provider;
establish a telephone-based communication over a telephone-based communication channel between the consumer of medical services and a provider of medical services based on the received request;
establish a record based on the communication;
prompt the provider to furnish an audio message related to the telephone-based communication after the consumer disconnects from the telephone-based communication;
receive and recording the audio message from the provider after the consumer disconnects from the telephone-based communication without disconnecting the provider from the telephone-based communication channel established between the consumer and the provide; and
associate the audio message with the established record.
11. The computer program product of claim 10 further comprising instructions to record the audio message without first disconnecting the service provider from the communication channel between the consumer and the provider.
12. The computer program product of claim 10 further comprising instructions to:
retrieve the record of the engagement from a memory;
replay the audio message; and
prompt the service provider to provide a written summary of the engagement.
13. The computer program product of claim 10 further comprising instructions to:
prompt the service provider to furnish an electronic summary of the communication; and
provide a payment to the service provider after receipt of the electronic summary.
14. The computer program product of claim 10 further comprising instructions to:
determine if an elapsed time since the communication between the consumer of medical services and the provider of medical services is greater than a threshold; and
if the elapsed time is greater than the threshold,
send a message indicating that payment to the medical service provider for the communication is being withheld.
15. An apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
a computer program product residing on a computer readable medium for providing broker services to consumers and service providers, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing the processor to:
receive a request from a consumer of medical services to consult with a medical provider;
establish a telephone-based communication over a telephone-based communication channel between the consumer of medical services and a provider of medical services based on the received request;
establish a record based on the communication;
prompt the provider to furnish an audio message related to the telephone-based communication after the consumer disconnects from the telephone-based communication;
receive and recording the audio message from the provider after the consumer disconnects from the telephone-based communication without disconnecting the provider from the telephone-based communication channel established between the consumer and the provide; and
associate the audio message with the established record.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to record the audio message without first disconnecting the service provider from the communication channel between the consumer and the provider.
17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to:
retrieve the record of the engagement from a memory;
replay the audio message; and
prompt the service provider to provide a written summary of the engagement.
18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to:
prompt the service provider to furnish an electronic summary of the communication; and
provide a payment to the service provider after receipt of the electronic summary.
19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to:
determine if an elapsed time since the communication between the consumer of medical services and the provider of medical services is greater than a threshold; and
if the elapsed time is greater than the threshold,
send a message indicating that payment to the medical service provider for the communication is being withheld.
20. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium for providing broker services to consumers and service providers, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing a computer to:
prompt a medical service provider to provide an audio message related to a telephone based engagement with a consumer of medical services;
record an the audio message provided by the medical service provider;
associate the audio message with a record of the engagement.
retrieve the record of the engagement from a memory;
replay the audio message; and
prompt the medical service provider to generate a written summary of the engagement via a computer.
21. An apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
a computer program product residing on a computer readable medium for providing broker services to consumers and service providers, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing the processor to:
prompt a medical service provider to provide an audio message related to a telephone based engagement with a consumer of medical services;
record an the audio message provided by the medical service provider;
associate the audio message with a record of the engagement.
retrieve the record of the engagement from a memory;
replay the audio message; and
prompt the medical service provider to generate a written summary of the engagement via a computer.