Patent ID: 8316074

Claim:
A variable-performance network storage system comprising: a storage pool which includes a first plurality of storage devices of a first media type characterized by RAM-based network-accessible memory (NAM) elements, wherein each of the RAM-based NAM elements comprises; a substrate for a memory element; memory coupled to the substrate; network interface circuitry mounted to the substrate, the network interface circuitry comprising a plurality of network physical layer circuits, each to connect the memory to a network, wherein the network physical layer circuits implement a low level block protocol; and logic circuitry for a memory controller, mounted to the substrate and coupled between the network interface circuitry and the memory, to control access to the memory by a storage host through the network interface circuitry, wherein the storage host is external to the NAM element, the logic circuitry comprising a plurality of media access controllers coupled to the plurality of network physical layer circuits, and a second plurality of storage devices of a second media type different from the first media type; and the storage host to control access to the storage pool on behalf of a client, the storage host writing data selectively to storage devices of the storage pool by applying a storage prioritization scheme, including applying a different storage priority to storage devices of the first plurality of storage devices than to storage devices of the second plurality of storage devices, and wherein the storage host is configured to automatically and selectively migrate data stored in one or more of the second plurality of storage devices to the plurality of storage devices based on a predetermined age criterion.