Patent ID: 8706833

Claim:
A data storage server comprising: data storage for storing data storage objects of multiple data storage object types; and at least one data processor programmed for replication of the data storage objects of the multiple data storage object types from the data storage over a data network to one or more remote destinations; wherein said at least one data processor is programmed with multiple software program modules including common software program modules for management of replication of data storage objects of multiple data storage object types, wherein the multiple data storage object types include iSCSI LUNs and file systems; wherein the multiple software program modules include a respective software module defining each of the multiple data storage object types; and wherein the data storage objects of the multiple data storage object types are stored in at least one sparse file in the data storage, and the respective software modules defining the multiple data storage object types are executable by said at least one data processor for addressing of the data storage objects in said at least one sparse file in the data storage; wherein the multiple software program modules further include at least one version control module executable by said at least one data processor for determining if two data storage objects have a common base so that only a difference from the common base needs to be transmitted for replication or restoration of one of the two data storage objects, wherein the common base is a snapshot copy that is different from each of the two data storage objects, and each of the two data storage objects is a subsequent version of the common base.