Patent ID: 8032718

Claim:
A method for dynamically sharing a media volume in a network, the method comprising: instructing, in response to a volume sharing request, removal of a first association between a first media management module and a media volume; determining with one or more computer processors an availability of a second media management module different than the first media management module; instructing formation of a second association between the second media management module and the media volume, wherein removal of the first association deactivates the first media management module and wherein formation of the second association activates the second media management module so that the control of the media volume shifts to the second media management module; storing in a first index with one or more computer processors a first access path to the media volume, the first index being maintained by the second media management module; and storing in a second index with one or more computer processors a second access path to the media volume, the second index being maintained by a storage manager module executing on a computing device.