Multi-Storage System Replication Utilizing Coordinated Dataset Checkpoints

1 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . A method comprising:

replicating, from a plurality of source storage systems to a plurality of target storage systems, a plurality of local source checkpoints that are associated with a coordinated source checkpoint representing a snapshot of a source dataset stored across the plurality of source storage systems; and

creating, based on the replicated plurality of local source checkpoints, a coordinated target checkpoint for a replica of the source dataset that is stored across the plurality of target storage systems.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein a storage implementation of a first target storage system among the plurality of target storage systems is one of a block storage implementation, a file system implementation, a database implementation, and an object store implementation;

wherein a storage implementation of a second target storage system among the plurality of target storage systems is one of a block storage implementation, a file system implementation, a database implementation, and an object store implementation; and

wherein the storage implementation of the first target storage system is different from the storage implementation of the second target storage system.

23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the plurality of target storage systems are respectively paired with the plurality of source storage systems by respective replication links to form a plurality of replicating pairs;

wherein each of the plurality of source storage systems stores a distinct local portion of the source dataset that is replicated to its paired target storage system; and

wherein each of the plurality of target storage systems stores a distinct local replicated portion of the replica.

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein each local source storage system replicates its local source checkpoint to its paired target storage system.

25 . The method of claim 23 , wherein at least one replication link employs a replication technology that is different from another replication link.

26 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the coordinated source checkpoint is coordinated across the plurality of source storage systems by a source coordinator.

27 . The method of claim 26 , wherein a target coordinator receives, from the source coordinator, information relating to the coordinated source checkpoint.

28 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the coordinated source checkpoint is a coordinated snapshot of the source dataset.

29 . The method of claim 21 , wherein a first local replicated checkpoint among two or more local replicated checkpoints of the coordinated target checkpoint is a snapshot; and

wherein a second local replicated checkpoint among the two or more local replicated checkpoints of the coordinated target checkpoint is a lightweight checkpoint.

30 . The method of claim 21 , wherein creating, based on two or more local replicated checkpoints, a coordinated target checkpoint for the replica includes:

determining a state of the coordinated target checkpoint.

31 . The method of claim 30 , wherein in response to determining a faulted state for the coordinated target checkpoint due to a particular faulted target storage system, an alternate target storage system that has received a missing local replicated checkpoint is identified and incorporated into the coordinated target checkpoint.

32 . The method of claim 21 further comprising:

applying the coordinated target checkpoint to the replica stored across the plurality of target storage systems.

33 . The method of claim 21 further comprising:

presenting the coordinated target checkpoint as a unified checkpoint for the replica.

34 . The method of claim 21 further comprising:

coordinating at least one of a clone and a roll back of the replica based on the coordinated target checkpoint.

35 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the coordinated source checkpoint represents a version of the source dataset that does not include any modification that could depend on a result of any other modification not included in the version of the source dataset.

36 . An apparatus comprising a computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to:

replicating, from a plurality of source storage systems to a plurality of target storage systems, a plurality of local source checkpoints that are associated with a coordinated source checkpoint representing a snapshot of a source dataset stored across the plurality of source storage systems; and

creating, based on the replicated plurality of local source checkpoints, a coordinated target checkpoint for a replica of the source dataset that is stored across the plurality of target storage systems.

37 . The apparatus of claim 36 , wherein creating, based on two or more local replicated checkpoints, a coordinated target checkpoint for the replica includes:

determining a state of the coordinated target checkpoint.

38 . The apparatus of claim 36 further comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to:

apply the coordinated target checkpoint to the replica stored across the plurality of target storage systems.

39 . A computer program product disposed upon a computer readable medium, wherein the computer readable medium is not a signal, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a computer to:

replicating, from a plurality of source storage systems to a plurality of target storage systems, a plurality of local source checkpoints that are associated with a coordinated source checkpoint representing a snapshot of a source dataset stored across the plurality of source storage systems; and

creating, based on the replicated plurality of local source checkpoints, a coordinated target checkpoint for a replica of the source dataset that is stored across the plurality of target storage systems.

40 . The computer program product of claim 39 further comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computer to:

apply the coordinated target checkpoint to the replica stored across the plurality of target storage systems.