1. A computer-readable storage medium storing executable instructions to direct a computer to create a replica of a source database, comprising executable instructions to: receive a hot backup logical change number for the source database indicating initiation of hot backup replication of the source database; in response to receiving the hot backup logical change number, initiate hot back-up of the source database, wherein the initiating of the hot backup of the source database includes executable instructions to: form a clone of the source database up to the hot backup logical change number while the source database operates with full data availability, wherein the clone of the source database is a copy of the source database as of the hot backup logical change number, and wherein the source database operating with full data availability comprises actively accepting read and write operations on data within files being backed up during replication of the source database; transfer the clone of the source database to a replica database while the source database continues to operate with full data availability, wherein the clone of the source database includes transactions committed before the hot backup logical change number; and utilize a log based extraction apply process starting at the hot backup logical change number to update the replica database with transactions committed after the hot backup logical change number by generating a transaction log which includes transactions committed after the hot backup logical change number and before a commit logical change number, wherein the commit logical change number indicates read and write commands which were issued and not committed after the hot backup logical change number but before the commit logical change number.