Replication of tags in global scale systems is described. A source node creates a file and a grouping tag for the file. The source node stores the grouping tag in a location in metadata for the file. When preparing for replication, the source node retrieves the grouping tag from the location in the metadata. If the legacy location in the metadata includes any value which was stored after the most recent replication involving the file, and the size of the legacy location in the metadata was not changed after the most recent replication involving the file, the system adds the grouping tag to the legacy location in the metadata which includes any value which was stored after the most recent replication involving the file. The system sends the metadata, which includes the grouping tag and any value stored at the legacy location in the metadata, to a destination node.