Patent ID: 7165095

Claim:
A method for distributing content of a large payload file to a plurality of storage devices in a network comprising: obtaining a plurality of block files representing content of a large payload file for storage in a plurality of storage devices in a network, including: evaluating said large payload file to locate a portion having substantive content; determining if said content from said large payload file comprises linear characteristics by determining if said substantive content is located at a starting end of said large payload file; generating a track file if said content comprises said linear characteristics; generating a plurality of track files if said content does not comprise said linear characteristics; determining at least one desired block size, if said content comprises linear characteristics, dividing a track file to generate a plurality of block files, wherein each of said block files correspond in size to said at least one desired block size; and if said content does not comprise linear characteristics, dividing each of the plurality of track files to generate a plurality of block files, wherein each of said block files correspond in size to said at least one desired block size; associating said plurality of block files with said plurality of storage devices; storing said plurality of block files in said plurality of storage devices based on said associations; and creating a virtual file, using said associations, for presentation to a client requesting said content, said virtual file providing an illusion to said client that said content is contiguous in said network.