Patent ID: 8082406

Claim:
A method for reducing data storage needs using a continuous data protection and replication device comprising: creating a master image of material identified by a user; generating a virtual replica of the master image on a storage area network using the continuous data protection and replication device to virtualize physical storage containing the master image; generating a plurality of writable point in time images of the virtual replica on the storage area network, wherein writes to each of the writable point in time images contain data indicating one or more differences between each of the writable point in time images and the master image, wherein the write data is stored in storage associated with each of the writable point in time images, and wherein the each of the writable point in time images require no storage for data of the master image; providing a virtual logical unit number to access each of the writable point in time images and to permit exclusive access to the data of the master image for a process which requires exclusive access to the data of the master image; writing one or more updates to the master image; and utilizing the continuous data protection and replication device to selectively apply the one or more updates to a subset of the writable point in time images.