A storage device (300) has partitions (310A, 310B, 310C, 320A, 320B, 320C, 330) that are separately addressed by distinct IP addresses (IP1, IP2, IP3, IP4, IP5, IP7, IP9). This allows direct access of the partitions (310A, 310B, 310C, 320A, 320B, 320C, 330), on a peer-to-peer basis, by any other device that can communicate using IP. Preferred storage devices support spanning between or among partitions of the same device, as well as between or among different storage devices. Both multicast and proxy spanning are contemplated. Combinations of the inventive storage devices with each other, and with prior art storage devices are contemplated, in all manner of mirroring and other arrangements. In still other aspects of the invention, a given storage device can comprise one or more types of media, including any combination of rotating and non-rotating media, magnetic and optical, and so forth.