Patent ID: 8909875

Claim:
A method for use in a content addressable storage system that stores a plurality of objects and provides a content addressable interface via which at least some of the plurality of objects are accessible, wherein an object accessible via the content addressable interface is accessible via an identifier that comprises a content address generated based, at least in part, on a binding portion of the object, the method comprising: (A) in response to an operation that is directed to a first object stored in at least one content unit on the storage system and seeks to modify a non-binding portion of the first object, wherein the first object is accessible via a first object content address, and wherein the first object comprises a binding portion that participates in generating the first object content address and the non-binding portion that does not participate in generating the first object content address, performing acts of: (A1) maintaining, on the storage system, a first version of the first object comprising the binding portion and a first version of the non-binding portion that does not reflect modification by the operation; and (A2) creating, on the storage system, a second version of the first object comprising a second version of the non-binding portion that reflects the modification by the operation and the binding portion.