METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CASCADING DATA THROUGH REDUNDANT DATA STORAGE UNITS

摘要

A data storage facility (22) is disclosed for transferring data from a data altering apparatus, such as a production data processing site (21), to a remote data receiving site (23). The data storage facility includes a first data store (32) for recording each change in the data generated by the data altering apparatus. A register set (75) records each change on a track-by-track basis. A second data store (34) has first and second operating modes. During a first operating mode the second data store becomes a mirror of the first data store. During a second operating mode the second data store ceases to act as a mirror and becomes a source for a transfer of data to the data receiving site. Only information that has been altered, i.e. specific tracks that have been altered, are transferred during successive operations in the second operating mode. Commands from the local production site initiate the transfers between the first and second operating modes.