Patent ID: 9727243
Date: 2017-08-08
CPC Classifications: G06F

Claim:
1. A method performed by a computer processor for copying data among n storages referenced as storages 1 through n, implemented in storage devices, wherein n is greater than or equal to three, comprising: establishing n−1 active copy relationships, wherein each active copy relationship copies data from one of the storages 1 through n−1 as a source storage to one other of the storages 2 through n as a target storage respectively, wherein each active copy relationship includes synchronization information indicating data to copy from the source storage to the target storage of the active copy relationship; and establishing at least one inactive copy relationship to copy data from one of the storages 1 through n−1 as the source storage to one other of the storages 2 through n as a target storage, such that the source and target storages in the at least one inactive copy relationship are not both also in a same of at least one of the active copy relationships, wherein each of the at least one inactive copy relationship includes synchronization information indicating data to copy from the source storage to the target storage of the at least one inactive copy relationship, wherein data is not synchronized from the source storage to the target storage of the at least one inactive copy relationship.