Patent ID: 6880040

Claim:
A method for operating a virtual sequential data storage system including a virtual sequential data storage system controller coupled to physical data storage, the controller coupled to a host machine including at least one host application, where the controller is configured to carry out commands from the host application referencing virtual sequential data storage, the method comprising operations of: installing a router at the host; the router intercepting prescribed types of host commands directed to the controller; for each host read/write command intercepted by the router, performing read/write processing operations comprising: the router determining a target physical location in physical data storage to carry out the intercepted host read/write command; if the host command is a read command, the router transferring data requested by the read command from the target physical location to the host application bypassing the controller; if the host command is a write command, the router transferring write data associated with the write command from the host application to the target physical location bypassing the controller.