Patent ID: 8612700

Claim:
A method for duplicating data, the method comprising: detecting a request to duplicate one or more selected images from a first storage medium to a second storage medium, wherein the first and second storage mediums are backup storage mediums, and wherein the selected images are stored within blocks on the first storage medium; processing metadata associated with data stored on the first storage medium to determine locations of the selected images within blocks of the first storage medium; copying data on a block level basis from the first storage medium to the second storage medium; and storing metadata about the copied blocks in a catalog of metadata; identifying a first block on the first storage medium that contains data corresponding to a selected image of the selected images; and identifying a second block on the first storage medium that contains data corresponding to a selected image of the selected images; wherein copying data at a block level from the first storage medium to the second storage medium comprises copying the first block, the second block, and one or more blocks between the first block and the second block that do not contain data corresponding to a selected image of the selected images.