A computer implemented method of providing consistent availability to clients (102, 104, 202, 204) accessing a shared file system on a server cluster (106, 206), the method comprising: receiving at a file server a request to connect to the file server to access file information in a shared file system, the request being formatted according to a file access protocol, wherein the file server is one of a plurality of servers (106A, 106B, 106C) in a server cluster (106, 206); sending a response from the file server, the response establishing a session with a client for allowing access to file information in the shared file system, the response being formatted according to the file access protocol; receiving a request at the file server to open a persistent handle on the file server for accessing a file in the shared file system by the client, the request including a handle identifier provided by the client; in response to receiving the request to open a persistsent handle, the file server (106A, 106B, 106C): storing first state information about the session in association with the handle identifier; and sending a response to the client granting access to the file; after a client disconnect, receiving a request to reestablish the session using the persistent handle; and reestablishing the session using the first state information, the method further comprising after the reestablishing the session, receiving a new request from the client, the new request including the handle identifier, wherein the handle identifier sent with the original request for the persistent handle is used to identify replayed requests. receiving at a file server a request to connect to the file server to access file information in a shared file system, the request being formatted according to a file access protocol, wherein the file server is one of a plurality of servers (106A, 106B, 106C) in a server cluster (106, 206); sending a response from the file server, the response establishing a session with a client for allowing access to file information in the shared file system, the response being formatted according to the file access protocol; receiving a request at the file server to open a persistent handle on the file server for accessing a file in the shared file system by the client, the request including a handle identifier provided by the client; in response to receiving the request to open a persistsent handle, the file server (106A, 106B, 106C): storing first state information about the session in association with the handle identifier; and sending a response to the client granting access to the file; after a client disconnect, receiving a request to reestablish the session using the persistent handle; and reestablishing the session using the first state information, the method further comprising after the reestablishing the session, receiving a new request from the client, the new request including the handle identifier, wherein the handle identifier sent with the original request for the persistent handle is used to identify replayed requests. storing first state information about the session in association with the handle identifier; and sending a response to the client granting access to the file; after a client disconnect, receiving a request to reestablish the session using the persistent handle; and reestablishing the session using the first state information, the method further comprising after the reestablishing the session, receiving a new request from the client, the new request including the handle identifier, wherein the handle identifier sent with the original request for the persistent handle is used to identify replayed requests.