A distributed storage system comprising: non-volatile storage configured to store a plurality of portions of a first object, wherein the first object encompasses data having a first range of addresses, and wherein each portion of the plurality of portions of the first object includes data for a respective range of addresses that is a proper subset of the first range of addresses; and a file table subsystem configured to maintain a first data structure that stores, for each portion of the plurality of portions of the first object: data indicating the respective range of addresses; and a pointer to where the portion is stored in the non-volatile storage, wherein the first data structure includes (i) a root tree and (ii) an ordered set of one or more trees (484-1, 484-2) ordered by creation data such that a last tree of the ordered set of one or more trees (484-1, 484-2) is most-recently created; a write buffer configured to: in response to receiving write data for the plurality of portions of the first object, store index data regarding the write data, wherein the non-volatile storage is configured to store the received write data, and wherein the index data points to locations of the received write data within the non-volatile storage; and an index management system configured to perform a merge operation to incorporate contents of the write buffer into the first data structure, wherein the merge operation includes: storing the index data from the write buffer into the last tree of the ordered set of one or more trees (484-1, 484-2); and prior to the storing, and in response to the ordered set of one or more trees (484-1, 484-2) being empty, creating a tree in the ordered set of one or more trees (484-1, 484-2). non-volatile storage configured to store a plurality of portions of a first object, wherein the first object encompasses data having a first range of addresses, and wherein each portion of the plurality of portions of the first object includes data for a respective range of addresses that is a proper subset of the first range of addresses; and a file table subsystem configured to maintain a first data structure that stores, for each portion of the plurality of portions of the first object: data indicating the respective range of addresses; and a pointer to where the portion is stored in the non-volatile storage, wherein the first data structure includes (i) a root tree and (ii) an ordered set of one or more trees (484-1, 484-2) ordered by creation data such that a last tree of the ordered set of one or more trees (484-1, 484-2) is most-recently created; data indicating the respective range of addresses; and a pointer to where the portion is stored in the non-volatile storage, wherein the first data structure includes (i) a root tree and (ii) an ordered set of one or more trees (484-1, 484-2) ordered by creation data such that a last tree of the ordered set of one or more trees (484-1, 484-2) is most-recently created; a write buffer configured to: in response to receiving write data for the plurality of portions of the first object, store index data regarding the write data, wherein the non-volatile storage is configured to store the received write data, and wherein the index data points to locations of the received write data within the non-volatile storage; and in response to receiving write data for the plurality of portions of the first object, store index data regarding the write data, wherein the non-volatile storage is configured to store the received write data, and wherein the index data points to locations of the received write data within the non-volatile storage; and an index management system configured to perform a merge operation to incorporate contents of the write buffer into the first data structure, wherein the merge operation includes: storing the index data from the write buffer into the last tree of the ordered set of one or more trees (484-1, 484-2); and prior to the storing, and in response to the ordered set of one or more trees (484-1, 484-2) being empty, creating a tree in the ordered set of one or more trees (484-1, 484-2). storing the index data from the write buffer into the last tree of the ordered set of one or more trees (484-1, 484-2); and prior to the storing, and in response to the ordered set of one or more trees (484-1, 484-2) being empty, creating a tree in the ordered set of one or more trees (484-1, 484-2).