methods for enabling software from a storage - capable device including the steps of : loading , by a host system operationally connected to the storage - capable device , software from an authenticatable storage area residing in the storage - capable device ; validating the software ; and installing the validated software , wherein the validated software provides an interface between the host system and the storage - capable device . in some embodiments , the software is enabling software , the method further including the step of loading , by the host system , device - functionality software from the authenticatable storage area . in some embodiments , the method further includes the steps of : validating the device - functionality software ; and enabling the validated device - functionality software . in some embodiments , the method further includes the steps of prior to the step of loading the software , executing a probe command in the host system ; and returning , by the probe command , a list of device functional units residing in the storage - capable device .