Method and apparatus for providing system level errors in a large disk array storage system

A method of providing error to a host computer coupled to a storage system is provided. The method includes modifying a command in the storage system/computer communications protocol. The command, when received by a controller within the storage system is interpreted as being a modified command. The controller is responsive to the modified command for reading error information from its stored location within the storage system. The error information is then returned to the requesting host computer. Thus, previously unavailable error information is made available host computers coupled to the storage system without the need to add commands to the standard communications protocol.