Patent ID: 7870300

Claim:
A method for data storage in a storage system including a first storage controller comprising a first identifier coupled, via a dedicated communication connection using a dedicated storage protocol, to a second storage controller comprising a second identifier, the method comprising: accepting, by the first storage controller, a management command addressed to the second storage controller, the management command comprising: one or more first sub-commands for execution by the first storage controller, one or more second sub-commands for execution by the second storage controller, the second identifier as an identifier of a destination storage controller, and an instruction to modify a data storage configuration in the destination storage controller; determining, by the first storage controller, that the management command comprises the second identifier and does not include the first identifier; and forwarding, by the first storage controller, the management command over the dedicated communication connection from the first storage controller to the second storage controller using the dedicated storage protocol in response to determining that the second storage controller is the destination storage controller and the management command does not include the first identifier.