1. A method for managing data items in a distributed storage pool, comprising: providing a plurality of physical storage pools, each storage pool including a plurality of storage nodes coupled to a network, and each storage node further providing a non-transitory computer readable medium for data storage; storing a first replica of a data item in a first physical storage pool of the plurality of physical storage pools; storing a second replica of the data item in a second physical storage pool of the plurality of physical storage pools; receiving a modification instruction for the data item; in response to receiving the modification instruction for the data item: selectively modifying the first replica of the data item; creating a first modification sentinel file based on the modification instruction; and storing the first modification sentinel file in the first physical storage pool; and in response to encountering the first modification sentinel file during a data item replication process: modifying in accordance with the first modification sentinel file the second replica of the data item stored in the second physical storage pool; creating a second modification sentinel file; and storing the second modification sentinel file in the second physical storage pool.