Patent ID: 7657714

Claim:
A method to provide copy commands to a data storage and retrieval system, comprising the steps of: supplying a plurality of host computers owned by a plurality of data storage customers wherein each host computer comprises a storage management program; supplying a data storage and retrieval system owned by a data storage services provider and comprising a plurality of data storage devices, a host adapter, a processor, a third communication link interconnecting said host adapter and said processor, a data cache, a fourth communication link interconnecting said host adapter and said data cache, a web server, a fifth communication link interconnecting said web server and said processor, wherein a data communication link interconnects one of said host computers and said host adapter; supplying a computing device owned by one of the data storage customers, wherein said computing device is external to data storage and retrieval system, and wherein said computing device is external to each of said plurality of host computers; supplying a second communication link interconnecting said computing device and said data storage and retrieval system; generating by said computing device a command signal, wherein said command signal comprises a plurality of copy commands and a header; providing said command signal to said data storage and retrieval system via said second communication link; wherein said second communication link is not used to provide data; and wherein said data communication link is not used to provide copy commands.