Patent ID: 8341366

Claim:
A method to replicate data performed by a splitter executing in a storage controller managing access to primary volumes, comprising: receiving an initialization command to communicate with a replication engine; receiving a replication command for one primary volume to split data for the primary volume to the replication engine; indicating in primary volume metadata, in response to the replication command, the primary volume as subject to replication and the replication engine to which the data in the primary volume is split, wherein the replication engine is indicated directly in the primary volume metadata; receiving a write request to write data to a target primary volume of the primary volumes that is indicated in the primary volume metadata for the target primary volume as subject to the replication; writing the data in the write request to the target primary volume; and sending the data in the write request to the replication engine indicated in the primary volume metadata for the target primary volume, wherein the replication engine executes a copy services function associated with the target primary volume to write the data to a replication engine volume, wherein the replication engine and the replication engine volume communicate from different locations over a network.