System and method for message and error reporting for multiple concurrent extended copy commands to a single destination device

1. A method for reporting messages for multiple extended copy commands comprising:

maintaining a log of extended copy commands received at a routing device, destination devices specified by the extended copy commands and hosts associated with the extended copy commands;

receiving a message from a destination device that is the destination device for at least two concurrent extended copy commands;

consulting the log to determine the extended copy command to which the message corresponds;

determining the at least two concurrent extended copy commands that specify the destination device;

determining an associated host for each of the at least two extended copy commands;

consulting the log to determine a host associated with the extended copy commands; and

for each of the at least two concurrent extended copy commands, propagating the message to the host associated with that extended copy command.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a single host is associated with each of the at least two concurrent copy commands.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the message is propagated to the single host for each of the at least two extended copy commands.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message is an error message.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message is an early warning notification.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein multiple hosts are associated with the at least two extended copy commands.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the message is propagated to multiple hosts.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein a copy manager program propagates the messages.

9. A computer program product comprising a set of computer instructions stored on a computer readable medium, wherein the set of computer instructions comprise instructions executable to:

maintain a log of extended copy commands received at a routing device, destination devices specified by the extended copy commands and hosts associated with the extended copy commands;

receive a message from a destination device that is the destination device for at least two concurrent extended copy commands;

consult the log to determine the extended copy command to which the message corresponds;

determine the at least two concurrent extended copy commands that specify the destination device;

determine an associated host for each of the at least two extended copy commands;

consult the log to determine a host associated with the extended copy commands; and

for each of the at least two concurrent extended copy commands, propagate the message to the host associated with that extended copy command.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein a single host is associated with each of the at least two concurrent copy commands.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the message is propagated to the single host for each of the at least two extended copy commands.

12. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the message is an error message.

13. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the message is an early warning notification.

14. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein multiple hosts are associated with the at least two extended copy commands.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the set of computer instructions further comprise instructions executable to propagate the message to multiple hosts.

16. A routing device for processing extended copy commands comprising:

a first interface to connect to a first data transport medium;

a second interface to connect to a second data transport medium;

a set of buffers;

a processing unit connected to the first interface, the second interface and the set of buffers, the processing unit operable to:

maintain a log of extended copy commands received at a routing device destination devices specified by the extended copy commands and hosts associated with the extended copy commands;

receive a message from a destination device that is the destination device for at least two concurrent extended copy commands;

consult the log to determine the extended copy command to which the message corresponds;

determine the at least two concurrent extended copy commands that specify the destination device;

determine an associated host for each of the at least two extended copy commands;

consult the log to determine a host associated with the extended copy commands; and

for each of the at least two concurrent extended copy commands, propagate the message to the host associated with that extended copy command.

17. The routing device of claim 16 , wherein a single host is associated with each of the at least two concurrent copy commands.

18. The routing device of claim 17 , wherein the processing unit is operable to propagate the message to the single host for each of the at least two extended copy commands.

19. The routing device of claim 16 , wherein the message is an error message.

20. The routing device of claim 16 , wherein the message is an early warning notification.

21. The routing device of claim 16 , wherein multiple hosts are associated with the at least two extended copy commands.

22. The routing device of claim 21 , wherein the processing unit is further operable to propagate the message to multiple hosts.

23. The routing device of claim 16 , wherein the first and second transport media operate according to the same data transport protocol.

24. The routing device of claim 16 , wherein the first and second transport media are fibre channel transport media.

25. The routing device of claim 16 , wherein the first and second transport media operate according to different data transport protocols.