Patent ID: 7840533

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of creating snapshots for an information store, wherein the information store is coupled via a computer network to at least a first storage medium and a second storage medium, the method comprising: performing a first snapshot of data in an information store at a first time; selecting the first storage medium for storage of the data associated with the first snapshot; copying the data associated with the first snapshot to the first storage medium, wherein the first storage medium is different from the information store; tracking changes to the data associated with the first snapshot, the changes occurring between the first time and a second time occurring after the first time; performing at least a second snapshot of the data in the information store at the second time; selecting the second storage medium for storage of the tracked changes to the data associated with the first snapshot, wherein the second storage medium is different from the information store; and copying to the second storage medium the tracked changes to the data associated with the first snapshot, wherein the copying comprises using the second snapshot to identify a location in the information store of the changes to the data associated with the first snapshot.