Transitioning between replication sources for data replication operations

1. A method comprising:

delaying a transition from using a first data repository as a source for data replication to using a second data repository as the source for data replication after detecting that one or more storage operations directed to the first data repository have not been replicated to the second data repository; and

promoting the second data repository as the source for data replication such that storage operations received after completing the transition are directed to the second data repository.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising initiating the transition from using the first data repository as the source for data replication to using the second data repository as the source for data replication.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the source for data replication receives and applies updates to a dataset stored within a corresponding data repository.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein prior to completing the transition, the source for data replication receives storage operations from a host device, and wherein the source for the data replication applies updates to a dataset.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the source for data replication replicates all updates to the dataset to a replica volume stored on the second data repository.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein a replica link specifies a replication policy between a source for replica data and a target for replica data, and wherein the replica link further specifies one or more of: the dataset to replicate, a checkpoint policy, a metadata representation for the dataset, a metadata log, a metadata journal, or a continuous data replication policy.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein promoting the second data repository as the source for data replication includes modifying the replica link to indicate a direction of data replication from the first data repository as a source for data replication to the second data repository as the source for data replication.

8. 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 carry out the steps of:

delaying a transition from using a first data repository as a source for data replication to using a second data repository as the source for data replication after detecting that one or more storage operations directed to the first data repository have not been replicated to the second data repository; and

promoting the second data repository as the source for data replication such that storage operations received after completing the transition are directed to the second data repository.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to carry out the step of initiating the transition from using the first data repository as the source for data replication to using the second data repository as the source for data replication.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the source for data replication receives and applies updates to a dataset stored within a corresponding data repository.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein prior to completing the transition, the source for data replication receives storage operations from a host device, and wherein the source for the data replication applies updates to a dataset.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the source for data replication replicates all updates to the dataset to a replica volume stored on the second data repository.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein a replica link specifies a replication policy between a source for replica data and a target for replica data, and wherein the replica link further specifies one or more of: the dataset to replicate, a checkpoint policy, a metadata representation for the dataset, a metadata log, a metadata journal, or a continuous data replication policy.

14. A computer program product disposed upon a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to carry out the steps of:

delaying a transition from using a first data repository as a source for data replication to using a second data repository as the source for data replication after detecting that one or more storage operations directed to the first data repository have not been replicated to the second data repository; and

promoting the second data repository as the source for data replication such that storage operations received after completing the transition are directed to the second data repository.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising computer program instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to carry out the step of initiating the transition from using the first data repository as the source for data replication to using the second data repository as the source for data replication.

16. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the source for data replication receives and applies updates to a dataset stored within a corresponding data repository.

17. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein prior to completing the transition, the source for data replication receives storage operations from a host device, and wherein the source for the data replication applies updates to a dataset.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the source for data replication replicates all updates to the dataset to a replica volume stored on the second data repository.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein a replica link specifies a replication policy between a source for replica data and a target for replica data, and wherein the replica link further specifies one or more of: the dataset to replicate, a checkpoint policy, a metadata representation for the dataset, a metadata log, a metadata journal, or a continuous data replication policy.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein promoting the second data repository as the source for data replication includes modifying the replica link to indicate a direction of data replication from the first data repository as a source for data replication to the second data repository as the source for data replication.