Patent ID: 7581007
Filing Date: 2009-08-25
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for providing data storage service comprising: a first server coupled to a network and adapted to receive a request for storage from a client computer via the network, wherein the first server includes a processor and a memory unit; a storage system coupled to the network and adapted to provide data storage to the client computer; wherein the first server maintains accounting information for a plurality of customers leasing storage capacity at the data storage service and determines if a customer account associated with the request for storage is in arrears based upon the accounting information before processing the request for storage; wherein the accounting information includes incurred charges, and is used by the first server to calculate charges incurred for each customer and to maintain account for each customer, wherein the first server determines whether a data storage area corresponding to the request for storage is available at the storage system and, wherein if the data storage area is not available, the first server sends a create request to the storage system to create the data storage area if the customer account is not in arrears, but does not send the create request if the customer account is in arrears, and wherein if the data storage area is available, the first server does not send the create request, wherein the request for storage is rejected if the first server determines that the customer account associated with the request for storage is in arrears based upon the accounting information, and the request for storage is accepted if the first server determines that the customer account associated with the request for storage is not in arrears based upon the accounting information, and wherein if the customer account is not established, a new customer account is created, and if the customer account is established, no new customer account is created, wherein the storage system communicates information about the data storage area, including access information for the data storage area, to the first server; wherein the first server transmits the access information for the data storage area to the client computer, the access information enabling the client computer to communicate directly with the storage system; and wherein the storage system receives I/O commands for reading data from and writing data to the data storage area directly from the client computer.