An improved remote USB access method allows a local host to access USB devices on a remote host in a manner that reduces network traffic in certain situations. When the local host copies a file from a USB device A to a USB device B both located on the remote host, the operation is initially handled in a conventional manner by which data is transferred from device A to the local host over the network, and then from the local host to device B over the network. The remote host is provided with an ability to detect such an operation as a special case where the data transfer from the local host to device A is unnecessary. Thus, the remote host copies the data from device A to device B, and notifies the local host to stop the network data transfer from the local host to device B.