Patent ID: 8281043

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising: in an processing system comprising a processor, a memory, a storage device, a plurality of ports, a host operating system executed by the processor, a host controller interface accessible by the host operating system, and an out-of-band controller interface inaccessible by the host operating system, wherein the out-of-band controller interface shares a shared port of the plurality of ports with the host controller interface, performing the following: receiving, with the host controller interface, a first command to access the storage device; receiving, with the out-of-band controller interface, a second command to access the storage device; determining, prior to executing the first command, an expected status of the storage device that is expected to result due to execution of the first command; determining whether executing the second command would interfere with the expected status; and in response to determining that executing the second command would not interfere with the expected status, executing the first command prior to executing the second command, wherein the second command is executed without involvement of the host operating system.