A method, apparatus and computer program for implementing a storage
management system for limiting management operation of a storage network
element by determining whether the storage network element is related to
a host computer and determining whether the management operation is
restricted based on the host computer and the time at which the
management operation is to be conducted. The invention is set forth in a
system including a network, a plurality of storage network elements
connected to the network, and the storage management system, connected to
the network, for controlling storage management operation of the storage
network elements in response to operation requests from users of the
storage management system. Each of the storage network elements is
related to at least one of a plurality of host computers and information
of these relations is used to determine whether a management operation
can be conducted on the storage network element.