Patent ID: 8024172
Filing Date: 2011-09-20
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: configuring a virtual tape library (VTL) in communication with a plurality of data protection applications (DPAs) to emulate a plurality of physical tape libraries (PTLs); operating the VTL to emulate the plurality of PTLs by translating, in the VTL, a plurality of DPA commands in a plurality of formats used by the plurality of DPAs for DPA-to-PTL communication, into a single format for use by the VTL, wherein each of the DPAs uses a DPA command of the plurality of DPA commands to backup data at one of the plurality of PTL, wherein configuring the VTL to emulate the plurality of VTLs comprises storing a plurality of VTL specifications accessible to the VTL, each specification corresponding to a different one of the plurality of PTLs; receiving one of the plurality of DPA commands, at the VTL, for writing backup data from one of the plurality of DPAs, saving the data of one DPA command of the plurality of DPAs commands to a location in the VTL as the one DPA command arrives to the VTL, and associating the location of the saved data in the VTL with a location indicated in a PTL identifier, the PTL identifier specifying a location in the PTL as a destination for the data.