Continuous replication of storage data during physical relocation

1 . A method comprising:

replicating a dataset between a first storage system and a second storage system using a first replication scheme, the first storage system and a second storage system included within a plurality of storage systems that replicate the dataset;

detecting that the first storage system is being physically moved from a first physical location through one or more intermediate physical locations to a second physical location based on a change of power availability; and

in response to detecting that the first storage system is being physically moved, transitioning from the first replication scheme to a second replication scheme.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

establishing the first replication scheme between the first storage system and the second storage system that includes replicating, between the first storage system and the second storage system, updates to the dataset that are received at either the first storage system or the second storage system;

wherein the first replication scheme synchronously or asynchronously maintains consistency between a version of the dataset stored on the first storage system and a version of the dataset stored on the second storage system.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining network characteristics of a communication network available at the one or more of the intermediate physical locations; and

determining, based on the network characteristics of the communication network available at the one or more intermediate physical locations, that the communication network available at the one or more intermediate physical locations provides lower bandwidth than one or more networks previously used for data replication.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

selecting, responsive to the communication network available at the one or more intermediate physical locations providing lower bandwidth than the one or more networks previously used for data replication, a low-bandwidth replication scheme from among a plurality of replication schemes.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

transitioning, without terminating replication of the dataset and responsive to selecting the low-bandwidth replication scheme, the first storage system from using a current replication scheme to using the low-bandwidth replication scheme.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

selecting, based on a change in network availability at the one or more intermediate physical locations and on expected performance improvement replicating the dataset, a replacement replication scheme; and

transitioning, responsive to selecting the replacement replication scheme, from the low-bandwidth replication scheme to the replacement replication scheme.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, relative to the first physical location, lower power availability at the one or more intermediate physical locations; and

transitioning, based on the lower power availability at the one or more intermediate physical locations, the first storage system from using a current replication scheme to using a low-power replication scheme.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the current replication scheme and the low-power replication scheme are based on a common management model.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first physical location of the first storage system is within a geographically fixed data center, and wherein the one or more intermediate physical locations of the first storage system is within a vehicle or a shipping container.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

responsive to arrival of the first storage system to a physical destination location:

synchronizing, with the second storage system replicating the dataset, the dataset with the second storage system to overcome any lags in synchronization of the dataset on the first storage system during transport to the physical destination location.

11 . A storage system comprising:

one or more storage devices;

one or more network ports; and

a storage controller configured to:

replicate a dataset between a first storage system and a second storage system using a first replication scheme, the first storage system and a second storage system included within a plurality of storage systems that replicate the dataset;

detect that the first storage system is being physically moved from a first physical location through one or more intermediate physical locations to a second physical location based on a change of power availability; and

in response to detecting that the first storage system is being physically moved, transition from the first replication scheme to a second replication scheme.

12 . The storage system of claim 11 , wherein the storage controller is further configured to:

establish the first replication scheme between the first storage system and the second storage system that includes replicating, between the first storage system and the second storage system, updates to the dataset that are received at either the first storage system or the second storage system;

wherein the first replication scheme synchronously or asynchronously maintains consistency between a version of the dataset stored on the first storage system and a version of the dataset stored on the second storage system.

13 . The storage system of claim 11 , wherein the storage controller is further configured to:

determine network characteristics of a communication network available at the one or more intermediate physical locations; and

determine, based on the network characteristics of the communication network available at the one or more intermediate physical locations, that the communication network available at the one or more intermediate physical locations provides lower bandwidth than one or more networks previously used for data replication.

14 . The storage system of claim 13 , wherein the storage controller is further configured to:

select, responsive to the communication network available at the one or more intermediate physical locations providing lower bandwidth than the one or more networks previously used for data replication, a low-bandwidth replication scheme from among a plurality of replication schemes.

15 . The storage system of claim 14 , wherein the storage controller is further configured to:

transition, without terminating replication of the dataset and responsive to selecting the low-bandwidth replication scheme, the first storage system from using a current replication scheme to using the low-bandwidth replication scheme.

16 . The storage system of claim 15 , wherein the storage controller is further configured to:

select, based on a change in network availability and on expected performance improvement replicating the dataset, a replacement replication scheme; and

transition, responsive to selecting the replacement replication scheme, from the low-bandwidth replication scheme to the replacement replication scheme.

17 . The storage system of claim 11 , wherein the storage controller is further configured to:

determine, relative to the first physical location, lower power availability at one or more of the intermediate physical locations; and

transition, based on the lower power availability at the one or more intermediate physical locations, the first storage system from using a current replication scheme to using a low-power replication scheme.

18 . The storage system of claim 17 , wherein the current replication scheme and the low-power replication scheme are based on a common management model.

19 . The storage system of claim 11 , wherein the first physical location of the first storage system is within a geographically fixed data center, and wherein the one or more intermediate physical locations of the first storage system is within a vehicle or a shipping container.

20 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed, cause a storage controller to:

replicate a dataset between a first storage system and a second storage system using a first replication scheme, the first storage system and a second storage system included within a plurality of storage systems that replicate the dataset;

detect that the first storage system is being physically moved from a first physical location through one or more intermediate physical locations to a second physical location based on a change of power availability; and

in response to detecting that the first storage system is being physically moved, transition from the first replication scheme to a second replication scheme.