Mirrored storage architecture using continuous data protection techniques

A method for mirroring contents of a continuous data protection system, the method comprising:

• saving a series of transactions of a production application using the continuous data protection system;
• identifying a pseudosnapshot relating to a point in time in the series of transactions stored on a continuous data protection system, identifying a pseudosnapshot including identifying an event marker, the event marker identifying a particular point in time after one of the transactions in the series of transactions is saved on the continuous data protection system, wherein the continuous data protection system includes a write journal configured to save the series of transactions from a point in time in which a previous copying of at least a portion of the series of transactions occurred;
• copying at least a portion of the series of transactions saved before the point in time to which the pseudosnapshot relates;
• creating the event marker for the pseudosnapshot, the event marker identifying the point in time to which the pseudosnapshot relates, wherein the pseudosnapshot and the event marker identify a dataset that can be reliably surfaced as a copy;
• indexing the pseudosnapshot in an index, wherein the index is used to identify available pseudosnapshots;
• and
• storing a first mirrored copy of the copied at least a portion of the series of transactions on a storage device.

A system for performing replication operations comprising:

• a continuous data protection system configured to save a series of transactions of a production application, the continuous data protection system configured to allow a point in time view of the series of transactions, wherein the continuous data protection system includes a writer journal configured to save the series of transactions since a last mirroring operation;
• a replication application communicating with the continuous data protection system, the replication application configured to:
• initiate generation of at least one pseudosnapshot of the series of transactions saved on the continuous data protection system, wherein the at least one pseudosnapshot is generated by creating an event marker for each of the at least one pseudosnapshot, each event marker identifying a particular point in time in the series of transactions after one of the transactions in the series of transactions is saved on the continuous data protection system, wherein each pseudosnapshot and corresponding event marker identify a dataset that can be reliably surfaced;
• index the at least one pseudosnapshot in an index of pseudosnapshots;
• present the at least one pseudosnapshot in a user interface using the index to identify the at least one pseudosnapshot that can be accessed at a later point in time, wherein the at least one pseudosnapshot is viewed as a snapshot in the graphical user interface;
• and
• initiate surfacing of a copy of at least a portion of the series of transactions that were saved before the generation of the at least one pseudosnapshot, wherein the copy is surfaced from a particular pseudosnapshot selected from the at least one pseudosnapshot presented in the user interface;
• a storage device communicating with the continuous data protection system, the storage device configured to read the surfaced copy and save a first copy of the surfaced copy;
• a graphical user interface communicating with at least one of the continuous data protection system, the replication application or the storage device, the graphical user interface configured to display the at least one pseudosnapshot and allow a user to select at least one pseudosnapshot for surfacing the copy of at least a portion of the series of transactions;
• and
• a data tap configured to intercept the series of transactions of the production application and to communicate each of the series of transactions to the continuous data protection system.