System and method for server-to-server data storage in a network environment

A system for storing data in a computer network, comprising;

• a target server;
• a source server;
• a source server command interface operable to utilize metadata stored on the source server computer to define a virtual volume emulating a physical storage device at the source server;
• a target server command interface operable to define the source server as a client to the target server;
• one or more server applications stored on the source server in a computer readable medium and one or more target server applications stored on the target server in a computer readable medium;
• wherein the source server executes the one or more source server applications to:
• open a communication channel between the source server and the target server using a server-to-server protocol;
• transfer data from the source server to the target server;
• and
• represent the data as being stored on a virtual volume locally attached to the source server.

A method for managing data storage interaction between a source server and a target server in a computer network, comprising:

• defining the source server as a client to the target server;
• receiving a write operation request at the source server from a client to request storage of a data file on sequential storage media at the source server;
• opening a communication connection between the source server and the target server using a server-to-server protocol;
• utilizing metadata stored on the source server to define a virtual volume emulating a physical storage device at the source server;
• creating a file object at the target server that includes a virtual volume verb;
• opening the file object on the target server for storing the data file;
• and
• writing data from the data file to the created file object at the target server to store the data file.

In a computing network environment, a system for storing data, comprising:

• a source server;
• a target server coupled to a target storage media;
• a target server command interface operable to define the source server as a client to the target server;
• a virtual volume created and maintained in a set of metadata stored on the source server, said virtual volume emulating a physical storage device at the source server;
• a command interface operable to configure the source server to enable a transfer of data from the source server to the target server over the network using a server-to-server protocol while also representing the data as stored at a location on the virtual volume.