Active replication switch

1. A system for data replication, the system comprising:

a first site, the first site comprising:

a volume;

a second site, the second site comprising:

a volume; and

computer-executable logic operating in memory, wherein the computer-executable program logic is configured to enable execution of:

transparently shifting between using a virtual service layer (VSL) performing active-active replication which presents the volume of the first site and the volume of the second site as a single volume and a second replication technique for replicating the volume of the first site and the volume of the second site without use of the VSL.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first site further comprises a first splitter and a first replication appliance and the second site further comprises a second splitter and a second replication appliance and wherein the logic is further configured to enable:

splitting IO at the first splitter to the first replication device; and

using the first replication appliance to replicate the volume of the first site.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein system is using the data protection appliance of the first site and the data replication appliance of the second site to provide replication and wherein the computer-executable program logic is further configured to enable execution of:

creating the virtual service layer (VSL) and a VSL bitmap in a state where it is not replicating the volumes;

communicatively coupling the first and second site via the VSL;

creating a bookmark for the second replication technique;

applying data replicated from the first site to the second site until the point of the bookmark;

stopping replication of the second replication technique; and

enabling active/active access via the VSL.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the computer-executable program logic is further configured to enable execution of:

modifying the identity of the first volume and the second volume to be the same identity.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the computer-executable program logic is further configured to enable execution of:

creating an empty VSL bitmap when creating the VSL and

tracking IO changes to the volume of the first site in a VSL bitmap after creation of the VSL.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the VSL provides replication and wherein the computer-executable program logic is further configured to enable execution of:

enabling the splitters to track changes of the first and second sites for volume of the VSL corresponding to the volume of the first site and the volume of the second site;

stopping acceptance of IO at the second site by the VSL; and

breaking the VSL connection between the first site and the second site.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the computer-executable program logic is further configured to enable execution of:

starting replication from the first site to the second site using the splitter and replication appliances; and

synchronizing the changes tracked by the splitters of the first and second sites.

8. A computer implemented method for replication comprising:

transparently shifting between using a virtual service layer (VSL) performing active-active replication which presents a volume of a first site and a volume of a second site as a single volume and a second replication technique for replicating the volume of the first site and the volume of the second site without use of the VSL.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the first site comprises a first splitter and a first replication appliance and the second site comprises a second splitter and a second replication appliance and wherein the method further comprises:

splitting IO at the first splitter to the first replication device; and

using the first replication appliance to replicate the volume of the first site.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein second replication technique uses the data protection appliance of the first site and the data replication appliance of the second site to provide replication and wherein the method further comprises:

creating the virtual service layer (VSL) and a VSL bitmap in a state where it is not replicating the volumes;

communicatively coupling the first and second site via the VSL;

creating a bookmark for the second replication technique;

applying data replicated from the first site to the second site until the point of the bookmark;

stopping replication of the second replication technique; and

enabling active/active access via the VSL.

11. The method of claim 10 :

modifying the identity of the first volume and the second volume to be the same identity.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the VSL provides replication and wherein the method further comprises:

enabling the splitters to track changes of the first and second sites for volume of the VSL corresponding to the volume of the first site and the volume of the second site;

stopping acceptance of IO at the second site by the VSL; and

breaking the VSL connection between the first site and the second site.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the method further comprises:

creating an empty VSL bitmap when creating the VSL and

tracking IO changes to the volume of the first site in a VSL bitmap after creation of the VSL.

14. A computer program product for use in replication comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with computer executable program code for replication of data, the code configured to enable the execution of:

transparently shifting between using a virtual service layer (VSL) performing active-active replication which presents a volume of a first site and a volume of a second site as a single volume and a second replication technique for replicating the volume of the first site and the volume of the second site without use of the VSL.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the first site comprises a first splitter and a first replication appliance and the second site comprises a second splitter and a second replication appliance and wherein the code further enables:

splitting IO at the first splitter to the first replication device; and

using the first replication appliance to replicate the volume of the first site.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein second replication technique uses the data protection appliance of the first site and the data replication appliance of the second site to provide replication and wherein the code further enables:

creating the virtual service layer (VSL) and a VSL bitmap in a state where it is not replicating the volumes;

communicatively coupling the first and second site via the VSL;

creating a bookmark for the second replication technique;

applying data replicated from the first site to the second site until the point of the bookmark;

stopping replication of the second replication technique; and

enabling active/active access via the VSL.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the code further enables:

creating an empty VSL bitmap when creating the VSL and

tracking IO changes to the volume of the first site in a VSL bitmap after creation of the VSL.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the code further enables:

modifying the identity of the first volume and the second volume to be the same identity.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the VSL provides replication and wherein the code further enables:

enabling the splitters to track changes of the first and second sites for volume of the VSL corresponding to the volume of the first site and the volume of the second site;

stopping acceptance of IO at the second site by the VSL; and

breaking the VSL connection between the first site and the second site.

20. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the code further enables:

starting replication from the first site to the second site using the splitter and replication appliances; and

synchronizing the changes tracked by the splitters of the first and second sites.