Patent ID: 6898670

Claim:
A method for storage virtualization in a Storage Area Network (SAN) comprising an array of hosts ( 1 ) coupled to an array of storage devices ( 4 ) via a Network Switch ( 2 ) operative for routing storage I/O operations between the array of hosts and the array of storage devices, the storage devices having a storage capacity, and the array of hosts, the array of storage devices and the Network Switch being coupled together in a storage network ( 5 ′), and the array of hosts being coupled to a plurality of user workstations ( 7 ) on a user network ( 6 ′), the method comprising the steps of: coupling a Storage Virtualization Manager (SVM) ( 3 ) by a storage network link ( 5 ) to the Network Switch on the storage network, and coupling the SVM by a user network link ( 6 ) to the user network, the SVM being configured for virtualization of the storage capacity and for managing metadata, and operating the SVM for virtualization of the storage capacity and for managing metadata, whereby virtualization of the storage capacity and managing metadata are decoupled from routing storage I/O operations.