Patent ID: 8095726

Claim:
A method of retrieving a target content unit stored on a content addressable storage (CAS) system based upon a source identifier associated with the target content unit, wherein the target content unit is identified on the CAS system via a target content address generated based, at least in part, on the content of the target content unit, the method comprising acts of: (A) receiving a request to access the target content unit associated with a source identifier; (B) hashing the source identifier to generate a second content address; (C) retrieving a second content unit identified by the second content address, wherein the second content unit stores at least the target content address; (D) extracting the target content address from the second content unit; (E) using the extracted target content address to retrieve the target content unit; and, prior to the act (A): receiving a request to store the second content unit, wherein the second content unit comprises a binding part and a non-binding part; generating the second content address by applying a hash function to the binding part of the content unit, but not to the non-binding part; and storing the second content unit on the CAS system.