Patent ID: 7120769

Claim:
A method for copying data to multiple remote sites, the method comprising: transmitting data from a first volume in a primary storage system to a back-up volume provided in a secondary storage system, the primary storage system being located at a primary site and the secondary storage system being located at a first remote site from the primary site; copying the data from the first volume in the primary storage system to a second volume in the primary storage system using a point in time (PiT) as a reference point of time for the copying, the second volume being provided with a first time consistent image of the first volume with respect to the reference point of time; transferring the data from the second volume in the primary storage system to a third volume in a ternary storage system at a second remote site, the third volume being provided with a second time consistent image of the second volume, which is substantially the same as the first time consistent image; and copying the data from the third volume in the ternary storage system to a fourth volume in the ternary storage system, the fourth volume being provided with a third time consistent image corresponding to the second time consistent image, the third time consistent image being substantially the same as the first time consistent image.