Method for producing a coherent view of storage network by a storage network manager using data storage device configuration obtained from data storage devices

A distributed storage management program manages a network comprising multiple data storage devices attached to multiple host computer systems. The management program includes a separate agent in each host, and a central manager. The agents gather data and communicate with the manager across a communications path which is independent of the storage network. The manager collates the data from different agents to produce a coherent view of the network. Preferably, each local agent actively builds an internal topological view of the network as seen by its host and collects data such as error events, which it stores in internal data structures. The manager is able to resolve gaps in the information of each agent from information provided by other agents. Preferably, the manager represents the network as a collection of objects of different classes in an object-oriented class library. This collection is graphically displayed in a logical and understandable manner to a user on a display device.