METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INVOKING NETWORK AGENT FUNCTIONS USING A HASH TABLE

An agent receives requests containing multiple parameters over an information processing network. The process of obtaining information responsive to the request varies depending on the values of the parameters. The agent constructs a hash key using the parameter values, and uses the hash key to index an entry in a hash function table, the entry having a set of parameter values and a pointer corresponding to the function used to service a request for the indicated parameter values. The agent uses the pointer to call the function to service the request Preferably, the parameters may include wild cards, which are expanded into multiple requests, from which multiple hash keys are derived and multiple functions are called. The agent is preferably part of a larger distributed storage management program, comprising a central manager and a separate agent in each of multiple host computer systems. Each agent independently collects data from the network(s) attached to its host, analyzes the network(s), builds data structures representing the network(s), and uses the data structures to service information requests from the central manager. The manager collates the data from different agents to produce a coherent view of the network.