Patent ID: 8543737

Claim:
A network attached storage device comprising: one or more data storage drives defining storage space, the storage space divided into a plurality of data pools; a plurality of communication interfaces for external data communication; memory to store information defining selective access to the plurality of data pools; a storage controller in data communication with the memory, the one or more data storage drives and the plurality of communication interfaces, the storage controller operative to receive from an administrative user information defining a specific data pool among the plurality of data pools and a specific communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces from which a received request will be authenticated to access the specific data pool, identify a request to access a respective data pool of the plurality of data pools and identify a respective communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces with which the identified request is received at the network attached storage device, the storage controller further operative to authenticate the identified request to access the respective data pool when access to the respective data pool has been previously authorized using the stored information defining selective access to the plurality of data pools.