Storage Router and Method for Providing Virtual Local Storage

A storage router for providing virtual local storage on remote storage devices, comprising:

• a first controller operable to interface with a first transport medium, wherein the first medium is a serial network transport media;
• a second controller operable to interface with a second transport medium;
• and
• a processing device coupled to the first controller, wherein the processing device is configured to:
• maintain a map to allocate storage space on the remote storage devices to devices connected to the first transport medium by associating representations of the devices connected to the first transport medium with representations of storage space on the remote storage devices, wherein each representation of a device connected to the first transport medium is associated with one or more representations of storage space on the remote storage devices and wherein the map resides at the storage router;
• provide centralized access controls at the storage router to control access by devices connected to the first transport medium to storage space on the remote storage devices, wherein the map is used to control access;
• allow access from devices connected to the storage router through the first transport medium to storage devices connected to the storage router through the second transport medium according to the centralized access controls;
• and
• receive native low level block protocol requests from devices connected to the storage router through the first transport medium to access storage devices connected to the storage router through the second transport medium.