Patent ID: 7346636

Claim:
In a computer system having at least first and second backup storage systems to each store backup data from at least one client, a method comprising: receiving information related to backup activities of the second backup storage system at the first backup storage system, the information related to backup activities comprising at least information relating to at least one backup operation; wherein at least some of the backup data which is stored on the second backup storage system is not stored on the first backup storage system; wherein the method further comprises transmitting the information related to the backup activities of the second backup storage system from the second backup storage system to the first backup storage system; wherein the computer system includes a third backup storage system to store backup data from at least one client, and at least one domain that includes at least the first and second backup storage systems and excludes the third backup storage system; and wherein the receiving of information includes receiving, at the first backup storage system, only information related to backup activities of backup storage systems included in the at least one domain, so that the first backup storage system does not receive information related to backup activities of the third backup storage system.