A storage virtualization environment is provided that includes a system
for providing multi-path communications in a virtualization storage
environment for managing a virtual volume of data. The system may include
a host system connected to first and second communication fabrics and a
network switch system connected to the first and second communication
fabrics and to third and fourth communication fabrics/ Further, the
system includes a set of storage devices storing virtual volume data and
connected to the third and fourth storage communication fabrics. In
certain embodiments the network switch system includes a first set of
storage processors having access to the host system and maintaining
virtual volume objects reflecting a logical configuration of the virtual
volume. Further, the network switch system includes a second set of
storage processors having access to the storage devices and maintaining
virtual volume objects associated with logical partitions of the virtual
volume data. Also, the first and second set of storage processors are
interconnected by a fifth communication fabric and the network switch
system provides fault tolerant access by the host system to the virtual
volume data using one of a plurality of dynamically configurable
multi-communication paths traversing selective combinations of the
fabrics, storage processors, and storage devices.