System for I/O path load balancing and failure which can be ported to a plurality of operating environments

The present invention relates generally to the use of peripheral devices in a computer system and more particularly to a system and method for balancing the loads on channel paths in a multiple host operating system environment. A method and system for path management of data processing in an environment which includes a plurality of hosts running multiple operating systems is disclosed. The method and system includes providing a portable path management code and providing a plurality of control modules. Each of the control modules has an area which can only be accessed by the portable path management code. The method and system also include providing an interface to at least one device driver from the portable management code to allow the portable management code to control access to plurality of paths to a plurality of storage subsystems by the at least one device driver. The method and system in accordance with the present invention can provide path load balancing and fail over for a plurality of paths to a plurality of storage subsystems. The path management code is portable and platform independent so that the functionality can be ported easily to each operating system in the multiple system environment.