A network-based storage system, comprising: a plurality of physical storage devices including at least first and second aggregates of storage devices, wherein each storage device in the first and second aggregates (130A, 130B) of storage devices includes an ownership portion thereupon that is configured to indicate a system controller to which it belongs; and a plurality of system controllers including at least first and second system controllers (120A, 120B) that are each in communication with each other, the plurality of storage devices, and a separate host server, each of the plurality of system controllers being adapted for designation as a system node that controls a respective aggregate of storage devices and for reading and writing to the plurality of storage devices based upon commands received from the separate host server, wherein the first system controller is adapted to control a first system node and is configured to facilitate an automated hotswap replacement of the second system controller that originally controls a second system node with a separate third system controller that subsequently controls the second system node, wherein the first system node controls the first aggregate of storage devices, and the second system node controls the second aggregate of storage devices, wherein the first system controller is further adapted to take over control of the second system node during the automated hotswap replacement of the second system controller, and wherein the first system controller is further adapted to exchange system identifiers with the separate third system controller automatically during the automated hotswap replacement. a plurality of physical storage devices including at least first and second aggregates of storage devices, wherein each storage device in the first and second aggregates (130A, 130B) of storage devices includes an ownership portion thereupon that is configured to indicate a system controller to which it belongs; and a plurality of system controllers including at least first and second system controllers (120A, 120B) that are each in communication with each other, the plurality of storage devices, and a separate host server, each of the plurality of system controllers being adapted for designation as a system node that controls a respective aggregate of storage devices and for reading and writing to the plurality of storage devices based upon commands received from the separate host server, wherein the first system controller is adapted to control a first system node and is configured to facilitate an automated hotswap replacement of the second system controller that originally controls a second system node with a separate third system controller that subsequently controls the second system node, wherein the first system node controls the first aggregate of storage devices, and the second system node controls the second aggregate of storage devices, wherein the first system controller is further adapted to take over control of the second system node during the automated hotswap replacement of the second system controller, and wherein the first system controller is further adapted to exchange system identifiers with the separate third system controller automatically during the automated hotswap replacement.