Patent ID: 7043738

Claim:
A method for managing a data imaging service in a distributed computer system having a host computer with at least one storage device connected to the host computer by driver software, the method comprising: (a) inserting an interface layer between the driver software and the storage device, the interface layer exporting a platform dependent API and controlling data passing between the driver software and the storage device; (b) running, in the host computer, a CIM object manager containing a CIM provider that can make calls on the platform dependent API; (c) running, in a management server, management facade software including a CIM client that can contact the CIM provider to control the CIM provider; (d) running, in the management server, a federated bean that generates method calls to the management facade software to control the interface layer; and (e) controlling the federated bean to designate master volumes, shadow volumes and bitmap volumes and to transfer data between specified master and shadow volumes.