Decoupled backup solution for distributed databases across a failover cluster

A system, comprising:

• a plurality of database failover nodes (DFNs);
• a primary backup agent (PBA) executing on a first DFN of the plurality of DFNs;
• and
• a secondary backup agent (SBA) executing on a second DFN of the plurality of DFNs,
• wherein the SBA is operatively connected to the PBA, and programmed to:
• receive a secondary data backup request from the PBA;
• and
• while at least one other SBA has yet to receive another secondary data backup request from the PBA:
• initiate, in response to the secondary data backup request, a secondary data backup process on the second DFN.

A non-transitory computer readable medium (CRM) comprising computer readable program code, which when executed by a computer processor, enables the computer processor to:

• receive, at a secondary node, a secondary data backup request from a primary node;
• and
• while at least one other secondary node has yet to receive another secondary data backup request from the primary node:
• initiate, in response to the secondary data backup request, a secondary data backup process on the secondary node.