A system for host-based virtualization optimizations in storage
environments employing off-host virtualization may include a host, one or
more physical storage devices, and an off-host virtualizer such as a
virtualizing switch. The off-host virtualizer may be configured to
aggregate storage within the one or more physical storage devices into a
virtual storage device such as a logical volume, and to provide control
data for the virtual storage device to the host. The host may be
configured to use the control data to perform a function in response to
an I/O request from a storage consumer directed at the virtual storage
device, and to use a result of the function to coordinate one or more I/O
operations corresponding to the I/O request.