Patent ID: 8335828

Claim:
A storage device connected through an internal network with an external network, the storage device comprising: a storage medium for storing files; and an access unit that carries out data communication of an e-mail with an attached file for accessing the storage medium with a terminal that is coupled with the external network and accepts access to the storage medium from the terminal based on the e-mail, the e-mail including one of a first e-mail for a purpose of requesting initiation of access and a second e-mail for a purpose of requesting access; wherein the access unit carries out processing for receiving the e-mail including one of the first e-mail and the second e-mail addressed to the storage device repeatedly at a first receiving interval; and upon receiving one of the first e-mail and the second e-mail from the terminal, the access unit carries out processing for receiving the e-mail including one of the first e-mail and the second e-mail addressed to the storage device repeatedly at a second receiving interval that is shorter than the first receiving interval and accepts access to the storage medium from the terminal.