Patent ID: 8452931

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for simultaneously providing multiple data protection functions, at least a portion of the method being performed by a computing device comprising at least one processor, the method comprising: identifying a storage appliance that provides a plurality of data protection functions to a production system, wherein at least a portion of data on the production system is stored on a direct-attached storage device, the direct-attached storage device is directly attached to the production system, and the storage appliance cannot directly access data on the direct-attached storage device; identifying a splitter channel for transmitting data changes from the direct-attached storage device of the production system to the storage appliance; creating a synchronization channel from the production system to the storage appliance by exposing at least one virtual LUN from the storage appliance to the production system; performing a replication data protection function for the production system by transmitting changes made to data on the direct-attached storage device of the production system to the storage appliance via the splitter channel; performing a synchronization data protection function for the production system simultaneously with the replication data protection function by synchronizing data on the direct-attached storage device of the production system to the storage appliance via the synchronization channel, wherein: performing the synchronization data protection function comprises performing an initial synchronization of application data on the direct-attached storage device; the synchronization channel from the production system to the storage appliance is configured via the at least one virtual LUN such that performing the initial synchronization of the application data while the replication data protection function is being performed does not interfere with the replication data protection function and the initial synchronization is not severely degraded by being throttled to allow the replication data protection function to remain active.