Patent ID: 7917598
Filing Date: 2011-03-29
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for operating a data storage system, comprising: executing an operating system on a computer; storing data by the computer on a plurality of data storage devices; executing a physical server administrator by the operating system; establishing a plurality of virtual servers by the physical server administrator; administering common physical aspects of the plurality of virtual servers by the physical server administrator, including assignment of one or more selected data storage devices of the plurality of data storage devices to a selected virtual server; administering logical aspects of one or more virtual servers of the plurality of virtual servers with a virtual server administrator, including specifying quotas for its one or more selected data storage devices; designating roles to the physical server administrator and the virtual server administrator using the operating system, each designated role defined by a set of capabilities, the roles of the virtual server administrator and the physical server administrator distinguished by a destination IP address of a request for a service received at a network interface that is bound to an IPspace of the computer; reading the destination IP address of the request received at the network interface of the computer, and determining that the request is a command for either the virtual server administrator or the physical server administrator based on the destination IP address; and if the request is a command for the virtual server administrator, directing the request to the one or more virtual servers of the plurality of virtual servers and executing the request by the one or more virtual servers, and if the request is a command for the physical server administrator, directing the request to the computer and executing the request by the physical server administrator.