Patent ID: 7194590

Claim:
A large area data storage system comprising: a first storage sub-system located in a first data center, comprising a first computer system configured to receive storage access requests from one or more user systems and to process the storage access requests and a first data storage system operative with the first computer system to satisfy received storage requests, the first data storage system comprising a plurality of data volumes including a primary volume and a primary difference volume; a second storage sub-system located in a second data center; and a third sub-system located in a third data center, comprising a second computer system and a second data storage system operative with the second computer system, the second data storage system comprising a plurality of data volumes including a secondary volume and a secondary difference volume, the first and second storage sub-systems each configured to synchronously transmit data to the second storage sub-system, the first data storage system configured to perform steps of storing data received from the first computer system to the primary volume and communicating blocks of data from the primary volume to the second data storage system, and in response to receiving a first command from the first computer system: selectively storing subsequent data received from the first computer system to the primary difference volume; communicating blocks of data from the primary volume to the second data storage system; and upon completing the step of communicating blocks of data, communicating a first signal to the second data storage system, the second data storage system configured to perform steps of storing data received from the first data storage system to the secondary difference volume, and in response to receiving the first signal, copying data contained in the secondary difference volume to the secondary volume.