Storage system and method for executing file-based firmware commands and collecting response data

A method for executing a command in a storage system, the method comprising:

• performing the following in a storage system comprising a memory:
• receiving a request from a host to write data in a file in the memory, wherein the host does not address logical block addresses in the memory and, thus, cannot access diagnostic or configuration functionality only accessible by logical block addresses;
• based on a location of the file in a directory structure of the memory, determining that the data represents a command to be executed and not data to be written in the file;
• executing the command;
• writing, in the file, a response to the command after the command is executed;
• receiving a request from the host to read the file;
• and
• in response to receiving the request from the host to read the file, sending the response written in the file to the host;
• wherein:
• the file is requested to be written to by the host to execute the command;
• the file is read by the host to provide the response to the command;
• and
• the command comprises a diagnostic command or a configuration command.

A storage system comprising:

• a memory;
• means for receiving a request from a host to write data in a file in the memory, wherein the host does not address logical block addresses in the memory and, thus, cannot access diagnostic or configuration functionality only accessible by logical block addresses;
• means for determining that the data represents a command to be executed and not data to be written in the file, based on a location of the file in a directory structure of the memory;
• means for executing the command;
• means for writing, in the file, a response to the command after the command is executed;
• means for receiving a request from the host to read the file;
• and
• means for sending the response written in the file to the host in response to receiving the request from the host to read the file;
• wherein:
• the file is requested to be written to by the host to execute the command;
• the file is read by the host to provide the response to the command;
• at least one of the means comprises a processor;
• and
• the command comprises a diagnostic command or a configuration command.