## Description of `xl.meta`

`xl.meta` is a new self describing backend format used by MinIO to support AWS S3 compatible versioning.
This file is the source of truth for each `version` at rest. `xl.meta` is a msgpack file serialized from a
well defined data structure. To understand `xl.meta` here are the few things to start with

uploads and metadata changes to versions created on the target, will sync back to the source and be marked as `REPLICA` on the source. AWS, as well as MinIO do not by default sync metadata changes on a object version marked `REPLICA` back to source. This requires a setting in the replication configuration called [replica modification sync](https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/12/amazon-s3-replication-adds-support-two-way-replication/).

For active-active replication, automatic failover...

- [MinIO | Golang Client API Reference](https://min.io/docs/minio/linux/developers/go/API.html#setbucketlifecycle-ctx-context-context-bucketname-config-lifecycle-configuration-error)