Using the SAN File System console – status, help, and tables

This topic provides information about the status indicators, user assistance, and table sorting and filtering that is available from the SAN File System console.

The SAN File System console offers status indicators, user assistance, and table sorting and filtering.

Status and progress indicators

When a task takes more than a few seconds to complete, a progress indicator displays. The indicator shows that activity is taking place, but not how long the activity will take to complete. You can wait until a task completes, or use the task bar, or My Work frame to start another task before it completes. Clicking the Close button closes the panel without stopping the underlying action.

User assistance

You can access both the Help Assistant and the SAN File System Information Center through the SAN File System console task bar.

Help Assistant

The Help Assistant provides embedded field-level descriptions corresponding to the items contained on the panels of the SAN File System console. Because the panel help is embedded into the overall console, you can obtain context-sensitive information without interrupting your current activity. Each time you click a different panel, the information in the Help Assistant changes accordingly.

You can launch the Help Assistant by clicking the Toggle Help Assistant icon (Icon representing the action to show the Help Assistant frame, which resembles a box containing a lowercase letter “i” with an arrow pointing away from it.) from the right side of the task bar. Because this button performs in a toggle fashion, to hide the Help Assistant, click the icon once again.

More details about the SAN File System Help Assistant can be found by following the “Related topics” link below.

Information Center

An Information Center is a searchable, online, topic-based help system that can be launched from a Web browser. The SAN File System Information Center provides additional SAN File System product documentation.

You can open the Information Center from the SAN File System console by clicking the Launch Information Center icon (Icon representing the action to open the Information Center, which resembles a box containing a question mark.) from the right side of the task bar. Alternately, many of the related topics provided in the Help Assistant frame link you directly to the Information Center.

More details about the SAN File System Information Center can be found by following the “Related topics” link below.

Tables

The tables in the SAN File System work area display object attributes in table columns. The data is chunked into pages, as needed, to reduce scrolling. The cell at the bottom of the table displays the number of pages of data and the number of table objects, including the number filtered, displayed and selected. You can page through the objects by clicking the Icon representing the action to advance to the next tabular page, which resembles an arrow pointing to the right. icon at the bottom left of the table, or jump to pages by entering a page number and clicking Go.

You can view the details of an object by clicking on one of its attributes, indicated by an underlined link. You can click on the name or ID, which links to additional information about the associated object. The object “Details” view is opened as a subtask panel.

The tables provide sort and filter functions through icons in the top left corner. These functions provide an inline way for you to quickly search, find, select, and use resources within SAN File System tables. For example, sorting can help you quickly determine which filesets or storage pools are approaching quota limits.

You can sort, not just on single columns, but on multiple ones. Perform the following steps to sort on table attributes:
  1. Click the Edit Sort icon (Icon representing the action to change the sort order of the associated table column, which resembles a box containing a pencil pointing down to an arrow.) from the table you want to sort.
  2. Choose the attribute column or columns that you wish to sort on from the drop-down boxes.
    Tip: You can sort on up to three columns.
  3. Choose a preferred sort order (ascending or descending).
  4. Click OK to confirm.
Table filtering offers a powerful data-reduction technique so that you are presented with only the information you need. Perform the following steps to place a filter on a table column:
  1. Click the Show Filter Row icon (Icon representing the action to show the filter setting for the column on which you want to place a filter, which resembles a box with a row of three arrows above a single arrow. All arrows point down.) from the table you want to filter.
  2. Click the filter name link on the column you want to filter.
    Note: If the column currently has no filtering applied to it, the name link says “None.”
  3. Apply the preferred filtering.
  4. Click OK to confirm.
The sorting and filtering icons are as follows:
Table 1. SAN File System console table sorting and filtering icons
Icon Description
Icon representing the select all action, which resembles several overlapping boxes with a check mark inside of the top one. The Select All icon selects check boxes for all rows.
Icon representing the deselect all action, which resembles several overlapping empty boxes. The Deselect All icon clears check boxes for all rows.
Icon representing the action to show the filter setting for the column on which you want to place a filter, which resembles a box with a row of three arrows above a single arrow. All arrows point down. The Show/Hide Filter Row icon toggles the filter row on and off.
Icon representing the action to clear all table filters, which resembles a large eraser with box two arrows, both pointing down. The Clear All Filters icon clears any previously set filters for all columns.
Icon representing the action to change the sort order of the associated table column, which resembles a box containing a pencil pointing down to an arrow. The Edit Sort icon allows advanced sorts such as column sort order.
Icon representing the action to clear all table sorts, which resembles a large eraser on top of a large arrow that is pointing up. The Clear All Sorts icon clears all table sort actions.
Icon representing the action to collapse the table, which resembles a large minus sign on top of a small grid (which represents a table). The Collapse/Expand Table icon toggles between show all and hide all table rows.
The check boxes in the first column of the table allow you to select one or more objects on which to perform actions. Actions specific to the table objects are provided in the drop-down box at the top of each table. The drop-down box provides an additional way to access the sorting and filtering functions. An example of the contents of the drop-down box follows:
Note: The first three functions listed here might not be applicable for every table, but serve as a sample only.
  • Add...
  • Properties...
  • Delete...
  • Other panel-specific table actions...
  • Table Actions (available for every table as described previously)
    • Select All
    • Deselect All
    • Show/Hide Filter Row
    • Clear All Filters
    • Edit Sort
    • Clear All Sorts
    • Collapse/Expand Table

The Go button to the right of the drop-down box submits the selected action. Some actions depend on one or more table items being selected; whereas others can only be performed against one selected item. When you can only select one item to complete an action, that action has the number one in parentheses listed beside it as in this example: “Properties (1).”

When an action is submitted, the system verifies that a proper selection has been made within the table. If a proper selection has not been made, the page displays a message with instructions on how to correct your selection and complete the action.

Messages

In-page messages are embedded within the work content area of the panels and provide information or warnings. They appear above the content of the panel, but below the panel description and instructions.

A common use of in-page messages is to inform you that an action needs to take place. For example, if you select the delete action from a sortable, filterable table, but do not select an item in the table, a message will be sent informing you that you need to select an item for the action to take place. In-page messages are also used to inform you of any invalid entries when submitting an input form.

If a message ID is available it is presented as a link to access help information pertaining to that message. The message help appears in the Help Assistant frame of the interface. To dismiss the message, click Close Message at the bottom of the message box. However, you can continue with the task without dismissing the message box.
Note: Both displaying message help and dismissing the message forces a refresh of the panel.

Entry fields

Entry fields dynamically indicate whether or not a field is required and whether or not it is in error. Required entry fields are shaded yellow and have a star-like icon by the field name. When an error has been made in an entry field, it displays a red outline, as well as an “x” icon beside the field name.

Property notebook

In the property notebook, tabs appear on the left side of the panel. By default the last tab is always selected when the panel opens. As necessary, the tabbed panels can contain a description and instructions, as well as applicable fields, selection boxes, tables and in-page buttons.

The OK, Apply, and Cancel buttons are located at the bottom and apply to the entire panel (that is, they act upon all tabs). The OK button closes and submits any actions, while Cancel closes and dismisses all actions. The Apply button submits any actions, but keeps the panel open.
Note: Some notebook panels only have a Close button (not OK and Apply).

System overview

The System Overview panel enables you to view general system health by providing all the key statistics in one place. Using this overview prevents you from needing to open several different panels to piece together the same information. From the overview you can periodically monitor major components of the system, including cluster state, clients, filesets, metadata servers, recent events, and so forth. This is the highest-level monitoring panel in SAN File System.

The overview not only provides statistics on key overall values, status conditions, and some drill downs, but also uses aggregation techniques to summarize conditions.

To access the SAN File System overview, go to the My Work frame, and under Monitor System, click System Overview.

Related concepts
User interfaces

Related reference
Using the Help Assistant
Supported browsers
Using the Information Center

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