Patent ID: 7475099

Claim:
A method for adaptively assigning transfers of data to backup components in a data storage system, the storage system including a plurality of primary components and a plurality of data backup components, the method comprising: initially assigning to each of the plurality of backup components one or more of a plurality of data volumes; transmitting a plurality of data transactions of a first block of transactions from at least one primary component, each of the transactions associated with one of the plurality of data volumes, each of the transmitted transactions of the first block ultimately being transmitted to the backup component to which the associated volume is assigned; continuing transmitting transactions of the first block for a predetermined period; determining the amount of data received by each backup component during the predetermined period; re-assigning to each of the plurality of backup components one or more of the plurality of data volumes in response to the amount of data received by each backup component; and transmitting a plurality of data transactions of a second block of transactions from at least one primary component, each of the transactions associated with one of the plurality of volumes, each of the transmitted transactions of the second block ultimately being transmitted to the backup component to which the associated volume is re-assigned.