Abstract: Lease transfer between master and slave replicas is described. A master replicator determines that an initial master replica lease takes effect. On determining that a master replica transfer needs to be performed, sending a transfer preparation message to a target replicator prior to expiration of a current master replica lease. The target replicator locally starts and calculates a new master replica lease and returns a readiness response to the master replicator. The master replicator sends a lease extension message to remaining slave replicators to extend local corresponding leases. After receiving lease extension success responses of a majority of the slave replicators, the master replicator terminates the local master replica lease of the master replicator in advance, and sends a transfer confirmation message to the target replicator. The target replicator validates the new master replica lease to make the target replicator a new master replicator.