Offsite management using disk based tape library and vault system

A method for transferring data in a storage system including a first storage subsystem and a second storage subsystem, the method comprising:

• associating data stored in the first storage subsystem to a plurality of emulated tapes;
• generating a first management table associating a plurality of storage locations on the first storage subsystem to a plurality of emulated tape storage locations;
• generating a second management table, the second table associating the plurality of emulated tapes to the plurality of emulated storage tape locations in the first storage subsystem;
• moving one of the emulated tapes from a first element to a second element simulatively;
• transmitting data associated with the one emulated tape from the first storage subsystem to the second storage subsystem via a communication link;
• and
• removing the data associated with the one emulated tape from the first storage subsystem upon confirming the transmission of the data associated with the one emulated tape.

A disk array unit, comprising:

• a storage area including a plurality of magnetic disks for storing data;
• and
• a storage controller including a processor to regulate data flow into and out of the storage area, a memory to store information needed to manage the storage area, a first interface coupling the disk array unit to a server, and a second interface to couple the disk array unit to another disk array unit provided at a remote site,
• wherein the memory stores a management table associating a plurality of storage locations on the disk array unit to a plurality of emulated tape storage locations, the emulated tape storage locations being associated with a plurality of emulated tapes, each of the plurality of emulated tapes being associated with data in the disk array unit,
• wherein the disk array unit includes a computer readable medium, the computer readable medium including:
• code for generating a first management table associating a plurality of storage locations on the first storage subsystem to a plurality of emulated tape storage locations;
• code for moving one of the emulated tapes from a first element to a second element simulatively;
• code for transmitting data associated with the one emulated tape from the first storage subsystem to the second storage subsystem via a communication link;
• and
• code for removing the data associated with the one emulated tape from the first storage subsystem upon confirming the transmission of the data associated with the one emulated tape.

A storage system for archiving data, comprising:

• means for moving an emulated tape from a first element to a second element simulatively without actually moving data associated with the emulated tape;
• means for transmitting the data associated with the emulated tape from a first disk-based storage device to a second disk-based storage device via a communication link;
• and
• means for removing the data associated with the emulated tape from the first disk-based storage device.