DATA REPLICATION IN DISTRIBUTED FILE SYSTEMS

Embodiments are directed to a replication engine that provides a root node for a file that may be associated with a replication snapshot where the file is comprised of the root node, internal nodes, and data nodes. The replication engine may start at the root node and traverse the file system. If a visited internal node has an epoch value that matches the epoch, the replication engine may continue the traversal by visiting a next unvisited adjacent internal node. If the visited internal node has an epoch value that mismatches the epoch, the replication engine may backtrack to a nearest adjacent internal node that matches the epoch. And, in response to visiting a data node the replication engine may be arranged to determine blocks that are associated with the data node and communicate a copy of the blocks to a target file system.