Generating and queuing system messages with priorities in a storage network

A method for use with a storage network includes generating system messages, in accordance with the system-level message processing parameters, the system messages including status information, performance information and alarms, each having one of a plurality of priorities, wherein the generating includes: generating a first message of the system messages corresponding to a first of the storage nodes based on the system-level message processing parameters, the first message including a first alarm of the alarms having a first message priority of the plurality of priorities; and generating a second message of the system messages corresponding to a second of the storage nodes based on the system-level message processing parameters, the second message including a second alarm of the alarms having a second message priority of the plurality of priorities.