US Patent 10496672 Creating replicas at user-defined points in time

Example embodiments of the present invention relate to methods, systems, and computer program products for determining replicas for removal from a plurality of replicas as defined in a data retention policy. The method includes performing asynchronous replication from a source to a target according to time-based replication cycles. A retention policy then may be identified defining a number of asynchronous replication replicas to retain and a plurality of associated periods which then may be retained according to the policy.