Patent ID: 8397022

Claim:
A system for performing a data server backup operation comprising: a host; a data management application (DMA) coupled to the host; a data store array coupled to the host; and, a backup device coupled to the data store array and the data management application; and wherein the host, data management application, data store array and backup device perform a split backup operation, the split backup operation allowing a component on the host and a component on the storage store array to function together logically to provide a backup agent; and wherein the split backup operation comprises a data transfer phase, the data transfer phase comprising generating, via the host, file and information for backup; providing the file and file information from the host to the data store array, the file and information corresponding to a format determined by the host thereby allowing the split backup operation without converting the file and information; reading, via the data store array, the data generating, via the data store array a backup data stream; and, providing the backup data stream generated by the data store array to the backup device.