Patent ID: 7536523

Claim:
A method for copying data to multiple remote sites, the method comprising: transmitting data from a first volume in a primary storage system to a back-up volume provided in a secondary storage system, the primary storage system being located at a primary site and the secondary storage system being located at a first remote site from the primary site; copying the data from the first volume in the primary storage system to a plurality of second volumes in the primary storage system, wherein for each second volume a point in time (PiT) of said each second volume is used as a reference point of time for the copying, said each second volume being provided with a first time consistent image of the first volume with respect to its reference point of time; for each second volume transferring the data therefrom to a corresponding third volume in a ternary storage system at a second remote site, the corresponding third volume being provided with a second time consistent image of said each second volume which is substantially the same as the first time consistent image provided in said each second volume; and for each third volume copying the data therefrom to a corresponding fourth volume in the ternary storage system of said each third volume, the corresponding fourth volume being provided with a third time consistent image corresponding to the second time consistent image provided in said each third volume, the third time consistent image being substantially the same as the first time consistent image provided in the second volume corresponding to said each third volume.