During a synchronization phase of a replication process, a master server generates and saves a shadow copy of predefined files to one or more replica servers so as to synchronize the files on both servers. Thereafter, during a replication phase of the replication process, the master server supplements the shadow copy with copies of individual files that have been modified. Each replica server is associated with a filter that controls which of the modified individual files, if any, is sent from the master server to that replica server for storage.