A method for copying information from a first storage subsystem to a
second storage subsystem is disclosed. The first and second storage
subsystems are provided in a data storage system. The method comprises
transmitting first data block from the first storage subsystem to the
second storage subsystem, the first storage subsystem being associated
with a first host computer and the second storage subsystem being
associated with a second host computer; and transmitting first attribute
information from the first storage subsystem to the second storage
subsystem without intervention from the first host computer.