Abstract: Systems, methods, and software program products discussed herein can create a backup or replica of a master. A method can include receiving, at a backup server, a serialized stream of data representative of changes to a first file of a computer and sorting the received stream of data and storing the sorted data in a memory. The method can include sending an acknowledgment to the computer indicating that the stream of data was received, writing all the sorted data to a single second file, and merging, on the backup server, the written data with data representative of a backup of data on the computer in response to writing all the sorted data to the single second file.

Abstract: A method implemented by a node in a high availability system having a master node and a replica node, the method including monitoring another node to determine whether or not the node is responding via a network connection, when the node is found to be not responding, changing into a periodic replication mode of operation, serving user requests while in the replication mode of operation, determining that the other node is now responding via the network connection, negotiating to merge changes resulting from serving the user requests with the other node, and reverting to an online replication mode of operation.

Abstract: A method includes replicating data stored on storage devices of a physical master computer system to replica virtual storage devices via a network connection, modifying boot configuration data on the replica virtual storage devices to boot a physical replica computer system, and booting the physical replica computer system from the replica virtual storage devices to replace the physical master computer.