Techniques For Data Storage Device Virtualization

A method for using virtual storage devices, the method comprising:

• receiving configuration metadata in a data storage device from a host operating system, the configuration metadata being in a standard format that is file system independent;
• configuring virtual storage devices in the data storage device by interpreting the configuration metadata, wherein the configuration metadata comprises a range of logical block addresses and a virtual storage device number for each of the virtual storage devices, and each of the virtual storage device numbers is a unique identifier used to differentiate between the virtual storage devices;
• assigning each of the virtual storage devices to a subset of a non-volatile data storage capacity of the data storage device;
• and
• using the virtual storage device numbers and logical block addresses to identify data sectors in the virtual storage devices that are accessible in response to read and write commands from virtual machine operating systems, wherein a data storage capacity of each of the virtual storage devices is accessible by one of the virtual machine operating systems in a virtual machine.