Patent ID: 7165158

Claim:
A method of migrating replication using virtualization performed by a program residing on a host computer, said host being in communication with one or more storage systems, wherein a primary volume (PVOL) and a secondary volume (SVOL), which is a target of replication of the PVOL, exist on said one or more storage systems, said method comprising the steps of: restraining write operations from any applications to the PVOL; determining whether the PVOL and the SVOL are synchronized, and if so, deleting a link from the PVOL to the SVOL; defining a primary virtual volume (PVVOL) to map to the PVOL and defining a secondary virtual volume (SVVOL) to map to the SVOL; establishing a new replication pair between the PVVOL and the SVVOL; commencing replication between the PVVOL and the SVVOL with a NOCOPY option; and enabling the applications to be restarted.