Method and system for implementing parallelism with SCSI I/O referrals

A storage system, comprising:

• means for receiving a first input/output (I/O) request from an initiator system, the first I/O request associating data for transfer to or transfer from a storage location;
• means for sending a referral response from a first storage system included in a plurality of storage systems of a block storage cluster to the initiator system when data associated with the first I/O request is stored in more than one storage system of the plurality of storage systems of the block storage cluster, the referral response providing information for directing the initiator system to a second storage system storing data associated with the first I/O request, the second storage system included in the plurality of storage systems of the block storage cluster;
• means for directing a referral I/O request to the first storage system and the second storage system for transferring data to or transferring data from the first storage system and the second storage system;
• and
• means for transferring data associated with the referral I/O request to or transferring data associated with the referral I/O request from the first storage system and the second storage system.

A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for communication between an initiator system and a block storage cluster, the method comprising:

• receiving a first input/output (I/O) request from the initiator system, the first I/O request associating data for transfer to or transfer from a storage location;
• sending a referral response from a first storage system included in a plurality of storage systems of the block storage cluster to the initiator system when data associated with the first I/O request is stored in more than one storage system of the plurality of storage systems of the block storage cluster, the referral response providing information for directing the initiator system to a second storage system storing data associated with the first I/O request, the second storage system included in the plurality of storage systems of the block storage cluster;
• directing a referral I/O request to the first storage system and the second storage system for transferring data to or transferring data from the first storage system and the second storage system;
• and
• transferring data associated with the referral I/O request to or transferring data associated with the referral I/O request from the first storage system and the second storage system.