Patent ID: 7693970

Claim:
A system for providing data storage services for a plurality of customers, the system comprising: a data storage device; a management server configured to perform management tasks and is connected to the data storage device via a management link, the management server configured to perform one of the management tasks only when the one management task is sent via the management link, the management server configured to partition the storage device into a plurality of logical storage areas, and to dynamically allocate storage resources to the logical storage areas based on service expectancies associated with the customers, the management server configured to store service expectancies associated with each customer, the management server configured to collect information related to operation, performance, or health of the network architecture, the management server configured to compare the collected information to the service expectancies associated with a particular customer, the management server configured to determine a degree to which the service expectancies for the particular customer are being met, and the management server configured to provide, to both the particular customer and an administrator of the storage device, an indication of the degree to which the service expectancies of the particular customer are being met; a port manager configured to establish a plurality of ports, wherein each port is assigned to only one logical storage area, each port is assigned to only one customer, and the assignments are stored in non-volatile memory of the system wherein for all logical storage areas, any particular logical storage area can be accessed by only one customer; and the port manager further configured to allow data transfers via each port exclusively to and from the one assigned customer of the respective port, and exclusively to and from the one assigned logical storage area of the respective port.