Enabling data replication processes between heterogeneous storage systems

A non-transitory machine readable medium comprising instructions for performing a method, which when executed by a machine, causes the machine to:

• in response to establishing a first common snapshot between a first system and a second system, setting a source lock for the first common snapshot to lock the first common snapshot for the first system as a source of a first relationship between the first system and second system;
• propagate snapshot locks upstream in a cascade chain that includes the first system, the second system, and a third system, wherein the propagating comprises:
• if the second system has a lock for a second common snapshot with the third system that is to receive data from the second system, then allowing the second system to transmit a request to the first system for setting a destination lock for the first common snapshot for performing a data transfer from the first system to the second system as a destination;
• and
• in response to the first common snapshot being locked for the first system with the source lock and locked for the second system with the destination lock, perform the data transfer from the first system to the second system based upon the first common snapshot.

A computing device comprising:

• a memory comprising machine executable code for performing a method;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to execute the machine executable code to cause the processor to:
• in response to establishing a first common snapshot between a first system and a second system, setting a source lock for the first common snapshot to lock the first common snapshot for the first system as a source of a first relationship between the first system and second system;
• propagating snapshot locks upstream in a cascade chain that includes the first system, the second system, and a third system, wherein the propagating comprises:
• if the second system has a lock for a second common snapshot with the third system that is to receive data from the second system, then allowing the second system to transmit a request to the first system for setting a destination lock for the first common snapshot for performing a data transfer from the first system to the second system as a destination;
• and
• in response to the first common snapshot being locked for the first system with the source lock and locked for the second system with the destination lock, perform the data transfer from the first system to the second system based upon the first common snapshot.