Systems and methods for electronic data storage management

A programmed computer system for creating and maintaining a single virtual logical volume of electronic data space with electronic data storage space located on a plurality of physical storage volumes, comprising:

• means for identifying the physical location of available free electronic data storage space on a plurality of physical storage volumes;
• means for communicating said available free electronic data storage space locations to a computer operating system;
• means for said operating system to access said available free electronic data storage space physically located on a plurality of storage volumes as if the space appeared on a single volume.

A programmed computer system for creating and maintaining a single virtual logical file of electronic data from electronic data located on a plurality of physical storage volumes, comprising:

• means for identifying the physical storage locations of a particular logical file of electronic data stored on a plurality of physical storage volumes;
• means for communicating said electronic data storage locations to a computer operating system;
• means for said operating system to access said electronic data physically located on a plurality of storage volumes as if the data appeared on a single volume.

A method for creating and maintaining one or more backup copies of electronic data, comprising the steps:

• determining whether a mirror copy exists of particular source electronic data, including operating system software, files, directories, and/or physical storage volumes;
• creating a mirror copy of said particular electronic data, if such a mirror copy does not already exist, on a volume and/or storage device other than the volume and/or storage device on which the said particular source electronic data is stored;
• duplicating all file operations directed to said particular source electronic data on the mirror copy of the electronic data.

A method for creating and maintaining a single virtual logical volume of electronic data space with electronic data storage space located on a plurality of physical storage volumes, comprising the steps:

• identifying the physical location of available free electronic data storage space on a plurality of physical storage volumes;
• communicating said available free electronic data storage space locations to a computer operating system;
• accessing said available free electronic data storage space physically located on a plurality of storage volumes by said operating system as if the space appeared on a single volume.

A method for creating and maintaining a single virtual logical file of electronic data from electronic data located on a plurality of physical storage volumes, comprising the steps:

• identifying the physical storage locations of a particular logical file of electronic data stored on a plurality of physical storage volumes;
• communicating said electronic data storage locations to a computer operating system;
• accessing said electronic data physically located on a plurality of storage volumes by said operating system as if the data appeared on a single volume.