Patent ID: 6862656

Claim:
A method of exporting a virtual tape from a virtual tape library that presents a user with a user interface styled for manipulating a virtual tape library in a manner similar to that used to manipulate a physical tape library in order to emulate a physical tape library so that the virtual tape library may generate a physical tape in a same way that the physical tape is generated in a physical tape library, the virtual tape library performing the data storage and retrieval functions so that the physical tape library can be enhanced by the virtual tape library functioning as a cache for the physical tape library or can be eliminated for primary backup operations, the method comprising: providing the user interface having a plurality of user selectable fields styled like a physical tape library, the user interface sending signals to export virtual media in response to manipulation of one of the plurality of user selectable fields; providing a control mechanism that can trigger the export of virtual media in response to signals from an external backup application; providing a controller in communication with the user interface, the controller receiving the signals from the user interface; providing a data storage medium in communication with the controller, the data storage medium having at least one virtual library defined thereon, each virtual library being capable of having a plurality of virtual tapes defined therein, the data storage medium being capable of storing a plurality of data in the at least one virtual library in response to signals received by the controller; establishing communication between the data storage medium and a physical data storage device; and copying at least a portion of the plurality of data from at least one virtual tape to the physical data storage device, whereby a physical tape is generated in a same way that a physical tape is generated in a physical tape library.