Patent ID: 8370450

Claim:
A system for information backup, comprising; a plurality of backup servers operable to retrieve backup data from a plurality of nodes; a plurality of backup storage devices operable to store the backup data retrieved from the plurality of nodes; and a high-speed, storage area network coupling the plurality of backup servers to the plurality of backup storage devices; and wherein each of the plurality of backup servers is further operable to: locally maintain an internal table storing state information identifying a state of each of the plurality of backup storage devices; check the internal table to determine based on the state information that a particular one of the plurality of backup storage devices is not locked by any other of the plurality of backup servers before initiating a change of state in the particular one of the plurality of backup storage devices; and share any change of state in the particular backup storage device with every other of the plurality of backup servers, wherein each of the plurality of backup servers maintain up to date state information for all remotely located backup storage devices.