Patent ID: 8108636

Claim:
A method of backing up data from a client, comprising: providing a first direct coupling between the client and a portable storage device; copying full backup data from the client to the portable storage device using the first direct coupling; providing a second direct coupling between the portable storage device and a backup site, wherein the client site and the backup site are connected via a network that is separate from each of the first direct coupling and the second direct coupling; initiating a network operation to copy the full backup data from the client to the backup site via the network, wherein: if the network operation to copy the full backup data to the backup site via the network is completed before the portable storage device with the full backup data is coupled to the backup site, then the full backup data obtained via the network operation is stored on the backup site; and if the portable storage device with the full backup data is coupled to the backup site before the network operation to copy the full backup data via the network is completed, then the full backup data is copied from the portable storage device to the backup site using the second direct coupling; and after copying the full backup data to the backup site, performing at least one incremental backup from the client to the backup site through the network, wherein the at least one incremental backup is based on at least one difference between data on the client site and the prior full backup data on the backup site.