Index: oak-store-document/src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/plugins/document/DocumentStoreException.java
===================================================================
--- oak-store-document/src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/plugins/document/DocumentStoreException.java	(revision 1825859)
+++ oak-store-document/src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/plugins/document/DocumentStoreException.java	(working copy)
@@ -16,8 +16,14 @@
  */
 package org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.plugins.document;
 
+import javax.annotation.CheckForNull;
+import javax.annotation.Nonnull;
+
 import com.google.common.collect.Lists;
 
+import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkNotNull;
+import static java.util.Collections.emptyList;
+
 /**
  * <code>DocumentStoreException</code> is a runtime exception for
  * {@code DocumentStore} implementations to signal unexpected problems like
@@ -27,33 +33,162 @@
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 634445274043721284L;
 
+    public enum Type {
+
+        /**
+         * A generic type of {@code DocumentStoreException}. This type is used
+         * when no explicit type is given when a {@code DocumentStoreException}
+         * is constructed.
+         */
+        GENERIC,
+
+        /**
+         * A {@code DocumentStoreException} caused by a transient problem. E.g.
+         * a network issue. This type of exception indicates a future invocation
+         * of the same operation may succeed if the underlying problem gets
+         * resolved.
+         */
+        TRANSIENT
+    }
+
+    private final Type type;
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a {@link Type#GENERIC} {@code DocumentStoreException} with the
+     * given message.
+     *
+     * @param message the exception message.
+     */
     public DocumentStoreException(String message) {
-        super(message);
+        this(message, null);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Creates a {@link Type#GENERIC} {@code DocumentStoreException} with the
+     * given cause. The message of the exception is the value returned by
+     * {@code cause.toString()} if available, otherwise {@code null}.
+     *
+     * @param cause the cause or {@code null} if nonexistent or unknown.
+     */
     public DocumentStoreException(Throwable cause) {
-        super(cause);
+        this(getMessage(cause), cause);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Creates a {@link Type#GENERIC} {@code DocumentStoreException} with the
+     * given message and cause.
+     *
+     * @param message the exception message.
+     * @param cause the cause or {@code null} if nonexistent or unknown.
+     */
     public DocumentStoreException(String message, Throwable cause) {
+        this(message, cause, Type.GENERIC);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a {@code DocumentStoreException} with the given message, cause
+     * and type.
+     *
+     * @param message the exception message.
+     * @param cause the cause or {@code null} if nonexistent or unknown.
+     * @param type the type of this exception.
+     */
+    public DocumentStoreException(String message, Throwable cause, Type type) {
         super(message, cause);
+        this.type = checkNotNull(type);
     }
 
-    public static DocumentStoreException convert(Throwable t) {
+    /**
+     * Converts the given {@code Throwable} into a {@link Type#GENERIC}
+     * {@code DocumentStoreException}. If the {@code Throwable} is an instance
+     * of {@code DocumentStoreException} this method returns the given
+     * {@code Throwable} as is, otherwise it will be used as the cause of the
+     * returned {@code DocumentStoreException}. The returned
+     * {@code DocumentStoreException} will have the same message as the given
+     * {@code Throwable}.
+     *
+     * @param t a {@code Throwable}.
+     * @return a {@link Type#GENERIC} DocumentStoreException.
+     */
+    public static DocumentStoreException convert(@Nonnull Throwable t) {
         return convert(t, t.getMessage());
     }
 
-    public static DocumentStoreException convert(Throwable t, String msg) {
+    /**
+     * Converts the given {@code Throwable} into a {@link Type#GENERIC}
+     * {@code DocumentStoreException}. If the {@code Throwable} is an instance
+     * of {@code DocumentStoreException} this method returns the given
+     * {@code Throwable} as is, otherwise it will be used as the cause of the
+     * returned {@code DocumentStoreException}. The returned
+     * {@code DocumentStoreException} will have the given message, unless the
+     * {@code Throwable} already is a {@code DocumentStoreException}.
+     *
+     * @param t a {@code Throwable}.
+     * @param msg a message for the {@code DocumentStoreException}.
+     * @return a {@link Type#GENERIC} DocumentStoreException.
+     */
+    public static DocumentStoreException convert(@Nonnull Throwable t, String msg) {
+        return asDocumentStoreException(msg, t, Type.GENERIC, emptyList());
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Converts the given {@code Throwable} into a {@link Type#GENERIC}
+     * {@code DocumentStoreException}. If the {@code Throwable} is an instance
+     * of {@code DocumentStoreException} this method returns the given
+     * {@code Throwable} as is, otherwise it will be used as the cause of the
+     * returned {@code DocumentStoreException}. The returned
+     * {@code DocumentStoreException} will have the same message as the given
+     * {@code Throwable} appended with the list of {@code ids}.
+     *
+     * @param t a {@code Throwable}.
+     * @param ids a list of {@code DocumentStore} IDs associated with the
+     *            operation that triggered this exception.
+     * @return a {@link Type#GENERIC} DocumentStoreException.
+     */
+    public static DocumentStoreException convert(@Nonnull Throwable t,
+                                                 Iterable<String> ids) {
+        return asDocumentStoreException(t.getMessage(), t, Type.GENERIC, ids);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Converts the given {@code Throwable} into a {@code DocumentStoreException}.
+     * If the {@code Throwable} is an instance of {@code DocumentStoreException}
+     * this method returns the given {@code Throwable} as is, otherwise it will
+     * be used as the cause of the returned {@code DocumentStoreException}.
+     * The {@code ids} will be appended to the given {@code message} and used
+     * for the returned {@code DocumentStoreException}.
+     *
+     * @param message a message for the {@code DocumentStoreException}.
+     * @param t a {@code Throwable}.
+     * @param type the type of this exception.
+     * @param ids a list of {@code DocumentStore} IDs associated with the
+     *            operation that triggered this exception.
+     * @return a {@link Type#GENERIC} DocumentStoreException.
+     */
+    public static DocumentStoreException asDocumentStoreException(String message,
+                                                                  Throwable t,
+                                                                  Type type,
+                                                                  Iterable<String> ids) {
+        String msg = message;
+        if (ids.iterator().hasNext()) {
+            msg += " " + Lists.newArrayList(ids);
+        }
         if (t instanceof DocumentStoreException) {
             return (DocumentStoreException) t;
         } else {
-            return new DocumentStoreException(msg, t);
+            return new DocumentStoreException(msg, t, type);
         }
     }
 
-    public static DocumentStoreException convert(Throwable t,
-                                                 Iterable<String> ids) {
-        String msg = t.getMessage() + " " + Lists.newArrayList(ids);
-        return convert(t, msg);
+    /**
+     * @return the type of this exception.
+     */
+    public Type getType() {
+        return type;
     }
+
+    @CheckForNull
+    private static String getMessage(Throwable t) {
+        return t == null ? null : t.toString();
+    }
 }