1. A method comprising: sequencing an operating system kernel module via instructions stored in computer readable memory to communicate data between a storage device and a remote device; sequencing a policy processor to execute a real time operating system module, the operating system kernel module not included in the real time operating system module, via instructions stored in computer readable memory to establish datapath control for data transfers with respect to the storage device; mapping a shared memory so that it is addressable at a same virtual address for both a kernel thread from the operating system kernel module and a firmware thread from the policy processor executing the real time operating system module; and storing datapath control firmware configuration information in the shared memory.