A
storage area network management and
configuration system is provided. The
system includes an enterprise network that has a plurality of computer systems, and some of the plurality of computer systems include a
server component, some include a
client component, and some include both the
client component and the
server component. The
system also includes a storage
enclosure that is connected to a computer
system having at least the
server component. A
graphical user interface window is provided by the
client component, and the
graphical user interface provides a graphical representation and icon links to configuration tools for controlling the drives and arrays of the storage
enclosure. In one aspect, the enterprise network can include a plurality of storage enclosures that are connected to selected computer systems that are part of the enterprise network and that have the server component. Through the configuration tools, any one of the drives in the storage enclosures can be configured into a particular
RAID-based array, monitored for failures, and modified to meet different storage needs. The modification can, in one aspect, be performed by simply dragging configuration template icons over selected hardware storage devices.