Patent ID: 7631351

Claim:
A method for performing a data storage operation through a firewall in a networked computer system, the method comprising: identifying, based on configuration data, whether each of a set of network elements related to the data storage operation is within a trusted network or not within the trusted network, wherein traffic between elements within the trusted network and elements not within the trusted network must pass through the firewall, wherein the firewall is an element in the networked computer system that is not a firewall in a client computer system; when the set of network elements related to the data storage operation is such that storage operation data must pass through the firewall, determining a specific set of ports to be used to send and receive storage operation data, wherein storage operation data includes data associated with at least one of a backup operation, a restore operation, a migration operation, an archival operation, and a recovery operation, and wherein the specific set of ports includes a first set of one or more ports and a second set of one or more ports: wherein the first set of one or more ports are one or more ports through which storage operation data is to pass; and wherein the second set of one or more ports are one or more ports through which data associated with control of the data storage operation is to pass; and prior to receipt by the firewall of storage operation data, allocating the specific set of ports with the firewall in advance, in accordance with at least one security parameter, for use in performing the data storage operation.