Dual-mode network storage systems and methods

A dual-mode network storage method comprising:

• receiving a file-level storage command from a first network client over a network-attached storage (NAS) interface to file-level translation logic integrated on a chip;
• employing the file-level translation logic to translate the file-level storage command into a corresponding first block storage command;
• receiving a second block storage command from a second network client over a storage area network (SAN) interface;
• and
• employing multiplexing logic integrated on the chip to multiplex a first block storage request derived from the first block storage command and a second block storage request derived from the second block storage command.

A dual-mode network storage control apparatus comprising:

• a storage area network (SAN) interface connected to a storage area network;
• a network-attached storage (NAS) interface connected to a file-level data network;
• a storage-side interface connected to a storage device;
• and
• logic connected to the storage-side interface for forwarding to the storage-side interface block-level storage commands received over the SAN interface, and for translating file-level storage commands received over the NAS interface into translated block-level storage commands and transmitting the translated block-level storage commands to the storage-side interface.

A dual-mode network storage method comprising:

• receiving block-level storage commands at a storage area network (SAN) interface of a dual-mode storage control integrated circuit;
• receiving file-level storage commands at a network-attached storage (NAS) interface of the integrated circuit;
• forwarding the block-level storage commands received from the SAN interface to a storage-side interface of the integrated circuit, the storage-side interface being connected to a storage device;
• and
• translating the file-level storage commands into translated block-level storage commands and transmitting the translated block-level storage commands to the storage-side interface.