Policy based data tiering

An apparatus for hybrid data tiering comprising:

• one or more hardware processors;
• one or more data storage resources;
• and
• a hybrid data tiering controller module configured to:
• replicating multiple data objects from a first storage location on a first computer system to a second storage location at a second computer system;
• identifying, in accordance with a retention policy, some of the multiple data objects to continue storing at the first storage location, wherein the retention policy specifies that a greater number of references by applications to a given object corresponds to a higher priority for the given object remaining stored at the first storage location;
• and
• selecting the identified some of the multiple data objects to remain stored at the first storage location, wherein at least the data objects that do not remain stored at the first storage location remain stored at the second storage location.

A computer program product for hybrid data tiering, the computer program product disposed upon a computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to carry out the steps of:

• replicating multiple data objects from a first storage location on a first computer system to a second storage location at a second computer system;
• identifying, in accordance with a retention policy, some of the multiple data objects to continue storing at the first storage location, wherein the retention policy specifies that a greater number of references by applications to a given object corresponds to a higher priority for the given object remaining stored at the first storage location;
• and
• selecting the identified some of the multiple data objects to remain stored at the first storage location, wherein at least the data objects that do not remain stored at the first storage location remain stored at the second storage location.