Minimum latency reinstatement of database transaction locks

A method of transferring a transaction workload of a primary process pair. The primary pair has access to a stable storage volume for storing data items and a log for storing transaction processing updates to data items. A backup process pair is established for the primary pair and information is transferred thereto so that it can take over for the primary pair should that pair fail. Additionally, a lock table is maintained and update records are written to the log by the primary pair. The update records include any locks from the lock table that related to the update records. When a failure of the primary pair occurs, the storage volume is locked, and the backup pair reads the log to reconstruct a lock table. Once the locks have been reconstructed, the lock on the storage volume is released and the backup pair operates to process the workload.