US Patent 7305530 Copy operations in storage networks

Exemplary storage network architectures, data architectures, and methods for creating and using snapdifference files in storage networks are described. One exemplary method may be implemented in a processor in a storage network. The method comprises receiving a request to execute a snapclone operation; generating, in response to the received service request, a snapclone copy of a source disk volume contemporaneous with the generation of the snapclone file, opening a first snapdifference file; and recording I/O operations to the source disk volume in the snapdifference file. The methods described herein may be embodied as logic instructions on a computer-readable medium.