Secure network attached storage device using cryptographic settings

A secure storage appliance configured to present to a client a virtual disk, the virtual disk associated with a volume mapped to a plurality of shares stored on a plurality of physical storage devices, the secure storage appliance capable of executing program instructions configured to:

• receive a request from the client to connect to the volume via an IP network connection;
• receive a request from the client to store a block of data to the volume via the IP network connection, wherein the secure storage appliance responds by:
• receiving the block of data via the IP network connection;
• and
• storing the block of data to the volume by splitting and encrypting the block of data into a plurality of secondary data blocks and storing the plurality of secondary data blocks in the plurality of shares.

A method of securely storing data on a network having a client connected to a secure storage appliance via an IP network connection, the method comprising:

• receiving a request to connect to a volume located on the secure storage appliance via the IP network connection, wherein the volume is mapped to a plurality of shares stored on a plurality of physical storage devices;
• presenting the volume via the IP network connection;
• receiving a request to write a block of data to the volume via the IP network connection;
• and
• writing the block of data to the volume by splitting and encrypting the block of data into a plurality of secondary data blocks and storing the plurality of secondary data blocks in the plurality of shares.

A method of securely accessing data on a network having a client connected to a secure storage appliance via an IP network connection, the method comprising:

• receiving a request to connect to a volume located on the secure storage appliance via the IP network connection, wherein the volume is mapped to a plurality of shares stored on a plurality of physical storage devices;
• presenting the volume via the IP network connection;
• receiving a request to read a block of data from the volume via the IP network connection;
• and
• reading the block of data from the volume by reconstituting the block of data from at least a portion of a plurality of secondary data blocks of data stored in the plurality of shares.