Method for providing a client device access to a plurality of remote storage devices

A controller communicatively coupled to a plurality of remote storage devices and providing a client device access to the remote storage devices, the controller comprising:

• a processing unit;
• a first network interface configured to communicate with the client device;
• a second interface configured to communicate with the plurality of remote storage devices;
• and
• a memory containing first instructions and communicatively coupled to the processing unit,
• wherein in response to the processing unit executing the first instructions, the controller is configured to:
• receive a request for storage block mapping from the client device;
• and
• send a map to the client device,
• wherein the map comprises a plurality of virtual addresses, each virtual address corresponding to a physical address of a data block on a storage device of the plurality of remote storage devices.

A computerized method for providing a client device, which is communicatively connected to a controller, access to a plurality of remote storage devices communicatively connected to the controller and to the client device, the method comprising:

• sending from the client device, to the controller, a request for storage block mapping;
• receiving a map from the controller, the map comprising a plurality of virtual addresses, each virtual address corresponding to a physical address of a data block on a storage device of the plurality of remote storage devices;
• and
• directly accessing, using the client device, the data block by mapping the virtual address to the physical address of the data block.

A client device configured to access a plurality of remote storage devices through a controller, the plurality of remote storage devices communicatively coupled to the controller, the client device comprising:

• a processing unit;
• a first network interface for communicating with the controller;
• a second interface for communicating with a plurality of remote storage devices;
• and
• a memory communicatively coupled to the processing unit and containing first instructions,
• in response to the first instructions being executed by the processing unit, the client device is configured to:
• send a request for storage block mapping to the controller;
• and
• receive a map from the controller, the map comprising a plurality of virtual addresses, each virtual address corresponding to a physical address of a data block on a storage device of the plurality of remote storage devices, and
• wherein the client device is configured to directly access the data block by mapping the virtual address to the physical address of the data block.