Patent ID: 8694691

Claim:
A system comprising: an initiator device comprising an initiator interface; and a target device comprising a target interface that communicates with the initiator interface via a block device protocol, wherein the block device protocol supports data being sent from the initiator device to the target device and supports commands from a block device protocol command set being sent from the initiator device to the target device, the block device protocol supports data being sent from the target device to the initiator device but does not support commands from the block device protocol command set being sent from the target device to the initiator device, the initiator interface is configured to send a read command from the block device protocol command set to the target interface, the read command specifies a predetermined storage location of the target interface, the target interface is configured to respond to the read command by sending first data to the initiator device via the block device protocol, and the initiator interface is configured to receive the first data, and in response to the first data corresponding to the predetermined storage location, treat the first data as a first command and execute the first command.