Method of operating network-based storage device, method of operating storage system using the same and storage module performing the same

A method of operating a storage system including a plurality of storage devices and a host device, the plurality of storage devices being connected to each other through a first network, the host device being connected to the plurality of storage devices through a second network, the method comprising:

• setting a first storage device, having a first local key among the plurality of storage devices, as a first main storage device;
• transmitting, by the host device, a first control signal for setting and managing volumes of the plurality of storage devices to the first storage device;
• setting and managing, by the first storage device, a volume of at least a part of the plurality of storage devices based on the first control signal;
• receiving, by the first storage device, a second local key from a second storage device having the second local key among the plurality of storage devices;
• transmitting, by the first storage device, the first local key and the second local key to the host device;
• transmitting, by the host device, a command, an address and the second local key for accessing the second storage device to the first storage device;
• transmitting, by the first storage device, the command, the address and the second local key to the second storage device;
• and
• providing, by the second storage device, read data to the host device or receiving, by the second storage device, write data from the host device based on the command, the address and the second local key, wherein
• an operation in which the first storage device receives the second local key from the second storage device, and an operation in which the first storage device transmits the command, the address and the second local key to the second storage device are performed based on a peer-to-peer (P2P) scheme between the first storage device and the second storage device without passing through the host device.

A storage module comprising:

• an Ethernet switch;
• and
• a plurality of storage devices connected to each other through the Ethernet switch,
• wherein a first storage device having a first local key among the plurality of storage devices is set as a first main storage device, wherein
• the first storage device includes a storage manager configured to set and manage a volume of at least a part of the plurality of storage devices based on a first control signal received from an external host device, to receive a second local key from a second storage device having the second local key among the plurality of storage devices, and to transmit the first local key and the second local key to the external host device.