Patent ID: 7469289

Claim:
A system configured to provide a storage area to a host coupled to the system, comprising: a first storage device being configured to store data and provide one or more functions to be performed by the first storage device; a second storage device configured to store data and provide one or more functions to be performed by the second storage device; and a first virtualization system coupled to the first storage device and the second storage device and providing a virtual volume associated with at least one of the first storage device and the second storage device, wherein in response to a function request from the host, the first virtualization system is configured to determine whether at least one of the first storage device and the second storage device is configured to perform the function of the function request from the host, wherein the first virtualization system is configured to perform the function request if the determination is negative, and wherein the first virtualization system is configured to provide an instruction to the at least one of the first and second storage devices to perform the function request if the determination is positive.