Patent ID: 7827366

Claim:
A method for providing data protection, comprising: providing, by a network storage system, continuous data protection (CDP) for a dataset in the network storage system by creating persistent point-in-time images (PPIs) of the dataset at a first scheduling frequency, wherein the first scheduling frequency corresponds to an elapsed period of time; and providing, by the network storage system, long-term data protection (LTDP) for the dataset by maintaining a copy of the dataset in said network storage system, updating the copy based on at least one of the PPIs of the dataset at a second scheduling frequency, wherein a first ratio between the first scheduling frequency and the second scheduling frequency is greater than a first threshold value, wherein the first threshold value is based on user input, and creating PPIs of the copy at a third scheduling frequency, wherein a second ratio between the second scheduling frequency and the third scheduling frequency is greater than a second threshold value, wherein the second threshold value is based on user input, wherein the first scheduling frequency, the second scheduling frequency, and the third scheduling frequency are different, and wherein the first ratio and the second ratio are different.