System and method for asynchronously mirroring data

A computer program product residing on a non-transitory computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

• defining a multicast group within a local area network, wherein:
• the multicast group includes a first synchronous storage target and one or more asynchronous storage targets, and
• the synchronous storage target is a member of a synchronously-mirrored storage group including at least a second synchronous storage target and a storage initiator device, wherein the first synchronous storage target and the second synchronous storage target emit a periodic heartbeat signal;
• and
• in response to determining that the first synchronous storage target or the at least a second synchronous storage target is unavailable based upon, at least in part, the heartbeat signal, synchronizing the available synchronous storage target with a selected asynchronous storage target chosen from the one or more asynchronous storage targets;
• wherein the selected asynchronous storage target includes a most up to date data segment relative to the available synchronous storage target.