A method performed by a storage cluster of a plurality of storage clusters in a distributed data replication system, the method comprising: storing a global index of objects in the distributed data replication system, wherein the global index is a content addressable index, wherein each entry in the global index includes a content handle for a respective_object in the distributed data replication system and a respective set of designation records associated with the content handle, wherein each designation record of the respective set of designation records identifies, for the respective object, a respective storage cluster and a respective storage location, and includes a respective designator, wherein the respective designator can be a data designator to indicate that the respective object is stored at the respective location of the respective storage cluster, a de-duplication designator, or a delete request designator; conducting a scan of the global index; identifying and deleting a redundant replica of the at least one of the objects in a certain storage cluster based on the scan of the global index, wherein deleting the redundant replica comprises: deleting a data designation record from an entry in the global index associated with a content handle of the identified redundant replica; adding a de-duplication designation record to the entry in the global index associated with the content handle of the identified redundant replica; and replicating changes to the global index to each of the plurality of storage clusters to cause the redundant replica to be de-duplicated. storing a global index of objects in the distributed data replication system, wherein the global index is a content addressable index, wherein each entry in the global index includes a content handle for a respective_object in the distributed data replication system and a respective set of designation records associated with the content handle, wherein each designation record of the respective set of designation records identifies, for the respective object, a respective storage cluster and a respective storage location, and includes a respective designator, wherein the respective designator can be a data designator to indicate that the respective object is stored at the respective location of the respective storage cluster, a de-duplication designator, or a delete request designator; conducting a scan of the global index; identifying and deleting a redundant replica of the at least one of the objects in a certain storage cluster based on the scan of the global index, wherein deleting the redundant replica comprises: deleting a data designation record from an entry in the global index associated with a content handle of the identified redundant replica; adding a de-duplication designation record to the entry in the global index associated with the content handle of the identified redundant replica; and replicating changes to the global index to each of the plurality of storage clusters to cause the redundant replica to be de-duplicated. deleting a data designation record from an entry in the global index associated with a content handle of the identified redundant replica; adding a de-duplication designation record to the entry in the global index associated with the content handle of the identified redundant replica; and replicating changes to the global index to each of the plurality of storage clusters to cause the redundant replica to be de-duplicated.