An increase in the efficiency of copy operations in a data storage system is provided. A host device directs that a volume of customer data be stored through one of two virtual storage servers on media in an associated library. An initiating controller queues a request to copy the volume to a second library. If the request is not processed by the initiating controller within a predetermined period, the initiating controller broadcasts the copy request to other controllers, each of which queues the request. After one of the controllers processes the request and the volume has been copied to the second library, the processing controller broadcasts a message to the other controllers which then dequeue the copy request from their respective copy queues. Upon receipt of such message, the initiating controller transmits a message to the host device that the volume was successfully stored and copied.