Shared network-available storage that permits concurrent data access

A method, comprising:

• providing a shared media agent in communication with a first media agent and a second media agent over one or more interfaces,
• wherein the first and the second media agents are configured to perform data storage operations associated with a storage device for one or more client devices,
• mapping, via the shared media agent, the data storage operations between the first and second media agents and the storage device;
• and
• performing the data storage operations over respective interfaces by sharing the storage device with the first and second media agents;
• wherein the mapping of the data storage operations between the first and second media agents and the storage device includes mapping specific channels using logically unique channel numbers, used by the first media agent and the second media agent for the data storage operations over the one or more interfaces, to corresponding channels over a local interface for the storage device,
• wherein the logically unique channel numbers enable unique identification of a source of data transfer and enable application of rules varying based on the source of data transfer.

At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium, carrying instructions, which when executed by at least one data processor, cause the data processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

• communicatively coupling first and second media agents to an intermediate media agent over respective interfaces to cause a storage device to appear as a target storage device to both the first and second media agents,
• wherein the first and second media agents are configured to access the storage device during data storage operations performed for one or more client devices associated with the first or second media agents;
• and
• managing access to the storage device for the first and second media agents;
• wherein the first media agent is associated with a first channel identifier comprising a first logically unique channel number;
• wherein the second media agent is associated with a second channel identifier comprising a second logically unique channel number;
• wherein the first and second media agents perform the data storage operations over respective first and second interfaces, in part, based on the first and second channel identifiers;
• and
• wherein the first and second channel identifiers enable unique identification of a source of data transfer and enable application of rules varying based on the source of data transfer.