1. A storage system that stores data for a client component, the system comprising: a communication interface including hardware for communication with the client component over an interconnect; a processor; a solid state memory configured in an address space addressable by the processor, the solid state memory including a storage volume, wherein data blocks are stored at corresponding memory locations in the storage volume; and a memory controller configured to perform a memory write operation on the solid state memory independently of the processor in response to a request to perform the write operation received over the communication interface, wherein the request is compliant with a memory access protocol instead of a storage protocol and includes an address of a memory location in the solid state memory at which a data block is stored in the storage volume, and the address is in the address space addressable by the processor.