Abstract: An apparatus includes a processor and instructions to cause the processor to identify a client to connect a logical unit number (LUN) in a software defined system (SDS) through a mesh network through gateway nodes. The mesh network includes Asymmetric Logical Unit Access (ALUA) port groups, each ALUA port group including possible connection to each of the LUNs and the client. Each gateway node includes an instance of each of the ALUA port groups. The processor balances a bandwidth load for a given ALUA across each of the gateway nodes through assignment of the LUNs in the given ALUA across the gateway nodes and to select, as a preferred path, a path from the client through a selected one of the gateway nodes to an assigned LUN from the assignment of the LUNs in the given ALUA across the gateway nodes.