Method and apparatus for replication of files and file systems using a deduplication key space

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

• initiating replication of a file from a source deduplication system to a destination deduplication system;
• transferring deduplication metadata from the source deduplication system to the destination deduplication system, wherein the deduplication metadata is deduplication metadata for each block of the file;
• transferring an identifier file from the source deduplication system to the destination deduplication system, wherein the identifier file includes a block number corresponding to a block of the file and a unique identifier value generated from the block of the file;
• receiving a data request file from the destination deduplication system that includes block numbers of any blocks of data from the file that are not stored by the destination deduplication system;
• and
• transferring the blocks of data identified in the data request file, with corresponding block numbers to the destination deduplication system to complete replication of the file on the destination deduplication system.

A system comprising:

• a memory of a source deduplication system to store deduplication metadata and a file;
• and
• a source replication manager to initiate replication of a file from a source deduplication system to a destination deduplication system,
• a source metadata processor to transfer deduplication metadata from the source deduplication system to the destination deduplication system, wherein the deduplication metadata is deduplication metadata for each block of the file;
• a source file processor to
• transfer an identifier file from the source deduplication system to the destination deduplication system, wherein the identifier file includes a block number corresponding to a block of the file and a unique identifier value generated from the block of the file,
• receive a data request file from the destination deduplication system that includes block numbers of any blocks of data from the file that are not stored by the destination deduplication system, and
• transfer the blocks of data identified in the data request file, with corresponding block numbers to the destination deduplication system to complete replication of the file on the destination deduplication system.