Patent ID: 8239552

Claim:
In a computerized network environment including a client system, a network provider, and one or more devices that can be accessed locally or over a network, a method for providing the client system access to one or more of the devices through the network provider, the method comprising the following: an act of identifying the one or more devices that can be accessed locally or over a network that includes a plurality of devices having unique device identifiers, wherein the one or more devices includes at least one device that is a virtual SCSI device accessible through an iSCSI protocol; an act of generating a target that identifies a set of the one or more devices, and that includes at least one corresponding unique device identifier, wherein the set of one or more devices is determined based on each of the devices having at least one common group of clients authorized to access the device, and wherein a plurality of logical unit numbers (LUNs) are assigned to the unique device identifier corresponding to the set of one or more devices, wherein the plurality of LUNs are relevant only within the target corresponding to the set of one or more devices, such that multiple devices, partitions, and files can be assigned at least a same LUN of the plurality of LUNs; an act of associating client authorization information identified by the network provider with the target that identifies the set of the one or more devices; and an act of dynamically assigning the target to a port through a protocol-independent port driver at the network provider, such that only clients authorized by the associated client information are allowed to access the assigned port, thereby allowing only the clients access to the set of the one or more devices through the target, wherein the assignment of the port is dependent upon load balancing of the network provider.