Described are techniques for processing a data request for a device of a data storage system. A data request directed to a device that is a virtualized device of the data storage system is received. The data storage system has a plurality of devices comprising one or more local devices and one or more virtualized devices. Each of the local devices is a storage device included in the data storage system and each of the virtualized devices is an external storage device with respect to the data storage system and is presented as a local storage device of the data storage system. First processing is performed by a disk adapter in connection with servicing the data request for the device. The first processing includes sending the request to an external storage device corresponding to the virtualized device over a connection in accordance with path information obtained from discovery processing.