Patent ID: 7398286

Claim:
A computer system comprising: first and second processes residing on first and second computers, respectively, the first and second processes being used with at least one of a backup and restore, or backup, or restore operation, wherein each of said first and said second computers are in communication with a data storage system which stores data from at least said first and second computers and a network; at least one first communication mechanism residing on each of said first and second computers for facilitating communications between said first and second processes over said network; a second communication mechanism residing on each of said first and second computers for facilitating communication between said first and second processes through said data storage system; and means for determining whether a communication to be facilitated between said first and second processes is from the first communication mechanism or the second communication mechanism and facilitating the communication between the first process and the second process over said network in response to determining that a communication is from said first communication mechanism, and facilitating the communication between the first process and the second process through said data storage system in response to determining that a communication is from said second communication mechanism, the means for determining being within said first and second processes.