To protect data on a physical volume at a file system level, and to permit access at the physical volume level.

This storage system includes a first interface for file level input/output, a second interface for block level input/output, a plurality of physical volumes upon which logical volumes are developed, and an appropriate sized file system is generated for storing archived data, a first controller for processing a file level input/output request and a second controller for processing the block level input/output request. The archived data stored by the first interface, and protected at the file system level are made accessible by the first and second interfaces, and protected from any interface. Alternately, an NAS(Network Attached Storage) gateway is included to provide the first interface for file level input/output.