A computer-implemented method comprising: a volume manager of a database management system maintaining failure group membership information for a plurality of storage units storing database information for the database management system; wherein the failure group membership information includes at least both: membership information indicating, for each of a plurality of failure groups (131-136, 141-146, 152), a set of storage units, of the plurality of storage units, that belong to the failure group (131-136, 141-146, 152); and mapping information that maps each failure group (131-136, 141-146, 152), of the plurality of failure groups (131-136, 141-146, 152), to a particular site (130, 140, 150), of a plurality of sites (130, 140, 150); the volume manager maintaining a particular file that includes database information within the plurality of storage units by synchronously: maintaining, on a configurable number of first one or more failure groups mapped to a first site of the plurality of sites (130, 140, 150), respective mirror copies of the particular file; wherein a respective mirror copy of the particular file is maintained in one or more storage units of each respective failure group of the first one or more failure groups; and mirroring data, stored to the first site, to a second site of the plurality of sites (130, 140, 150) by: maintaining, on a configurable number of second one or more failure groups mapped to the second site, respective mirror copies of the particular file; wherein a respective mirror copy of the particular file is maintained in one or more storage units of each failure group of the second one or more failure groups; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices. a volume manager of a database management system maintaining failure group membership information for a plurality of storage units storing database information for the database management system; wherein the failure group membership information includes at least both: membership information indicating, for each of a plurality of failure groups (131-136, 141-146, 152), a set of storage units, of the plurality of storage units, that belong to the failure group (131-136, 141-146, 152); and mapping information that maps each failure group (131-136, 141-146, 152), of the plurality of failure groups (131-136, 141-146, 152), to a particular site (130, 140, 150), of a plurality of sites (130, 140, 150); membership information indicating, for each of a plurality of failure groups (131-136, 141-146, 152), a set of storage units, of the plurality of storage units, that belong to the failure group (131-136, 141-146, 152); and mapping information that maps each failure group (131-136, 141-146, 152), of the plurality of failure groups (131-136, 141-146, 152), to a particular site (130, 140, 150), of a plurality of sites (130, 140, 150); the volume manager maintaining a particular file that includes database information within the plurality of storage units by synchronously: maintaining, on a configurable number of first one or more failure groups mapped to a first site of the plurality of sites (130, 140, 150), respective mirror copies of the particular file; wherein a respective mirror copy of the particular file is maintained in one or more storage units of each respective failure group of the first one or more failure groups; and mirroring data, stored to the first site, to a second site of the plurality of sites (130, 140, 150) by: maintaining, on a configurable number of second one or more failure groups mapped to the second site, respective mirror copies of the particular file; wherein a respective mirror copy of the particular file is maintained in one or more storage units of each failure group of the second one or more failure groups; maintaining, on a configurable number of first one or more failure groups mapped to a first site of the plurality of sites (130, 140, 150), respective mirror copies of the particular file; wherein a respective mirror copy of the particular file is maintained in one or more storage units of each respective failure group of the first one or more failure groups; and mirroring data, stored to the first site, to a second site of the plurality of sites (130, 140, 150) by: maintaining, on a configurable number of second one or more failure groups mapped to the second site, respective mirror copies of the particular file; wherein a respective mirror copy of the particular file is maintained in one or more storage units of each failure group of the second one or more failure groups; maintaining, on a configurable number of second one or more failure groups mapped to the second site, respective mirror copies of the particular file; wherein a respective mirror copy of the particular file is maintained in one or more storage units of each failure group of the second one or more failure groups; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.