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A computer software system is disclosed for facilitating a user's replacement or insertion of devices in a computer server network system. The system allows a user to swap or add peripheral devices while the system is running, or in a "hot" condition, with little or no user knowledge of how the syst

A computer software system is disclosed for facilitating a user's replacement or insertion of devices in a computer server network system. The system allows a user to swap or add peripheral devices while the system is running, or in a "hot" condition, with little or no user knowledge of how the system carries out the "hot swap" or "hot add" functions. The system, which consists of a graphical user interface (GUI) and associated computer software modules, allows the user to select a desired peripheral device location within a server, and then provides the modular software structure to automatically execute a series of steps in the hot swap or hot add process. Each step is prompted by the user from the GUI, to invoke commands to instruct a network server through its operating system and hardware to suspend the appropriate device adapters, if necessary, power down the desired device slot or canister, allow the user to replace or insert a new device, and finally restart the adapters and the slot power. The system requires very little detailed input from the user other than identifying the particular peripheral device slot within the server to be maintained.

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A computer software system is disclosed for facilitating a user's replacement or insertion of devices in a computer server network system. The system allows a user to swap or add peripheral devices while the system is running, or in a "hot" condition, with little or no user knowledge of how the syst

A computer software system is disclosed for facilitating a user's replacement or insertion of devices in a computer server network system. The system allows a user to swap or add peripheral devices while the system is running, or in a "hot" condition, with little or no user knowledge of how the system carries out the "hot swap" or "hot add" functions. The system, which consists of a graphical user interface (GUI) and associated computer software modules, allows the user to select a desired peripheral device location within a server, and then provides the modular software structure to automatically execute a series of steps in the hot swap or hot add process. Each step is prompted by the user from the GUI, to invoke commands to instruct a network server through its operating system and hardware to suspend the appropriate device adapters, if necessary, power down the desired device slot or canister, allow the user to replace or insert a new device, and finally restart the adapters and the slot power. The system requires very little detailed input from the user other than identifying the particular peripheral device slot within the server to be maintained. rocessor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising: searching a system registry for a global unique identifier corresponding to a plug and play device; obtaining a symbolic link list corresponding to the global unique identifier; obtaining a symbolic link in the symbolic link list corresponding to an index; using the symbolic link to query an operating system for a pointer to a device object; and using the device object to obtain information about the plug and play device. 8. A computer system as in claim 7 wherein using the device object to obtain information about the plug and play device comprises using a physical device object to obtain configuration information about the plug and play device. 9. A computer system as in claim 7 wherein the plug and play device comprises a network adapter. 10. An apparatus comprising: means for searching a system registry for a global unique identifier corresponding to a plug and play device; means for obtaining a symbolic link list corresponding to the global unique identifier; means for obtaining a symbolic link in the symbolic link list corresponding to an index; means for using the symbolic link to query an operating system for a pointer to a device object; and means for using the device object to obtain information about the plug and play device. 11. An apparatus as in claim 10, wherein the means for using the device object to obtain information about the plug and play device comprises means for using a physical device object to obtain configuration information about the plug and play device. 12. An apparatus as in claim 10, wherein the means for searching the system registry for an identity corresponding to the plug and play device comprises means for searching a system registry for an identity corresponding to a network adapter.