Patent ID: 8627033

Claim:
At a network storage device, said network storage device having an attached storage device, said network storage device communicatively coupled to a plurality of client devices via a computer network, a method performed on a computer processor for migrating contents of a plurality of other storage devices to said attached storage device, said method comprising: consolidating said contents of a plurality of client hardware storage devices at said attached storage device, including for each client storage device included said plurality of client storage devices: detecting said client hardware storage device is physically attached to a client device, said client device included in said plurality of client devices, said client hardware storage device having contents with access permissions; determining to move all of said contents to said attached storage device based on a policy; creating a volume on said attached storage device, said volume for logically separating said contents from other data stored at said attached storage device; moving all of said contents from said client hardware storage device to said created volume on said attached storage device so as to free up said client hardware storage device for being physical removed from said client device; maintaining access permissions of said contents at said attached storage device by limiting availability of said created volume to said client device; and configuring redirection of client device local access requests for said contents to said created volume so that said contents remain accessible to said client device after said client hardware storage device is physically removed from said client device.