Initialization protocol for a peer-to-peer replication environment

A system, comprising:

• one or more computer processors;
• and
• a memory containing computer program code that, when executed by operation of the one or more computer processors, performs an operation for initializing a connection in a peer-to-peer replication environment, the operation comprising:
• responsive to a request to add a target node to a data replication group, receiving a first message, at a target node, from an initiator node within the data replication group, indicating that the initiator node will begin replicating changes to the target node without waiting for any acknowledgements relating to the first message, wherein the changes are applied to a first instance of a data entity on the initiator node;
• upon receiving the first message indicating that the initiator node will begin replicating changes, transmitting a second message, from the target node, to at least one other member in the data replication group, announcing that the target node is joining the data replication group;
• receiving a plurality of replicated changes, at the target node, from the initiator node;
• and
• processing each received replicated change in the plurality of replicated changes against a second instance of the data entity at the target node.

A computer-readable storage medium containing computer program code that, when executed by operation of one or more computer processors, performs an operation for initializing a connection in a peer-to-peer replication environment, the operation comprising:

• responsive to a request to add a target node to a data replication group, receiving a first message, at a target node, from an initiator node within the data replication group, indicating that the initiator node will begin replicating changes to the target node without waiting for any acknowledgements relating to the first message, wherein the changes are applied to a first instance of a data entity on the initiator node;
• upon receiving the first message indicating that the initiator node will begin replicating changes, transmitting a second message, from the target node, to at least one other member in the data replication group, announcing that the target node is joining the data replication group;
• receiving a plurality of replicated changes, at the target node, from the initiator node;
• and
• processing each received replicated change in the plurality of replicated changes against a second instance of the data entity at the target node.