Patent ID: 8296398
Filing Date: 2012-10-23
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A file storage system, for handling a file system request including a path name, the system comprising: a plurality of storage providers; and a client, in communication with the storage providers, that accepts the file system request and a corresponding reformatted request to be sent to a selected one of the storage providers, the selected one of the storage providers being initially selected by the client on the basis of a hashing algorithm applied to at least a portion of the path name, so that the client serves as an interface between the standard file system request and the storage providers, wherein each storage provider is a virtual server, the virtual server including a plurality of peer to peer computer processes forming a set of peer nodes, and wherein a specified request directed to a specified virtual server is delivered to all peer nodes of the virtual server but the set is configured so that only a single one of the peer nodes responds to the specified request.