An apparatus and method of providing conditional access to an electronic data store including a storage controller and a data storage resource. The method includes receiving, at the storage controller, a network request for access to the data storage resource from a client, the request including at least one required parameter defining the requested connection, obtaining information on the performance of the data storage resource, determining, based upon the information, whether a) the data storage resource can meet the or each required parameter of the request; and b) meeting the or each required parameter of the request will not violate any previously agreed parameters defining existing connections on the data storage resource; and denying the request if at least one of a) and b) are determined to be negative.