Replicating non-supported data types using an existing supported replication format

A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program stored therein for replicating non-supported data types using an existing replication format supported by an existing replication system operating at a primary site and a secondary site, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to:

• responsive to detecting an application, at the primary site, writing data in a non-supported format to a local storage that is to be replicated to the secondary site, intercept, by an intercept routine operating at a primary site, the input/output (I/O) operation being performed by the application operating at the primary site;
• convert, by the intercept routine, the data of the I/O operation m the non-supported format to a format supported by the existing replication system;
• generate, by the intercept routine, a replication log record for the data in the format supported by the existing replication system;
• and
• transmit, by a primary site replication engine operating at the primary site, the data in the format supported by the existing replication system to the secondary site, wherein by transmitting the data in the format supported by the existing replication system to the secondary site, a secondary site replication engine operating at the secondary site:
• stores the data in the format supported by the existing replication system described by the replication log record in a storage device at the secondary site thereby forming a replicated file;
• converts the data in the format supported by the existing replication system to the non-supported format;
• and
• stores the data in the non-supported format in the storage device at the secondary site for use by an application operating at the secondary site.

An apparatus for replicating non-supported data types using an existing replication format supported by an existing replication system operating at a primary site and a secondary site comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• responsive to detecting an application, at the primary site, writing data in a non-supported format to a local storage that is to be replicated to the secondary site, intercept, by an intercept routine operating at a primary site, the input/output (I/O) operation being performed by the application operating at the primary site;
• convert, by the intercept routine, the data of the I/O operation in the non-supported format to a format supported by the existing replication system;
• generate, by the intercept routine, a replication log record for the data in the format supported by the existing replication system;
• and
• transmit, by a primary site replication engine operating at the primary site, the data in the format supported by the existing replication system to the secondary site, wherein by transmitting the data in the format supported by the existing replication system to the secondary site, a secondary site replication engine operating at the secondary site:
• stores the data in the format supported by the existing replication system described by the replication log record in a storage device at the secondary site thereby forming a replicated file;
• converts the data in the format supported by the existing replication system to the non-supported format;
• and
• stores the data in the non-supported format in the storage device at the secondary site for use by an application operating at the secondary site.