Patent ID: 7904475

Claim:
A distributed computer system comprising: a plurality of slice servers each including a network port coupled to a network; and a grid access computer including a network port coupled to the network, wherein the grid computer functioning to: receive a request to access a virtual digital data storage vault, wherein a set of the plurality of slice servers support the virtual digital data storage vault; retrieve a vault data structure corresponding to the virtual digital data storage vault; authenticate the request in accordance with information of the vault data structure; when the request is authenticated, send the request to the set of the plurality of slice servers; a slice server of the set of plurality of slice servers functioning to: receive the request to access the virtual digital data storage vault; determine whether the slice server supports the virtual digital data storage vault; when the slice server supports the virtual digital data storage vault, determine whether type of request is allowed; when the type of request is allowed, execute the request to generate a response; and send the response via the network port.