An apparatus comprises a processing device configured to receive, at a given data management entity running on a given processing node, a request to create a given cluster of data management entities for a given client. The processing device is also configured to determine membership requirements for the given cluster, to discover additional data management entities running on additional processing nodes, and to select at least one of the additional data management entities for membership in the given cluster based at least in part on the membership requirements. The processing device is further configured to establish a replication relationship for automating sharing of metadata in the given cluster, the metadata comprising access information and location information for data stores where portions of data items of the given client are stored. The processing device is further configured to perform data management functions for the given client utilizing the metadata.