A computing system includes a computer executing an emulated operating system, the emulated operating system including a multichannel control unit; a plurality of virtual drives accessible to the emulated operating system; and a communication channel, the communication channel connecting the multichannel control unit and the virtual drives through one or more virtual channels. The multichannel control unit sends a first data access request to a virtual drive through the first virtual channel of the communication channel, the multichannel control unit sends a second data access request to a virtual drive through the second virtual channel of the communication channel.