Patent ID: 8433699

Claim:
A method of identifying an object, comprising: using a processor to include in a request not specific to any one manner of identifying objects an object identifying information associated with a particular manner selected from a plurality of different manners of identifying a repository object with respect to which an operation is desired to be performed, wherein each of the plurality of different manners of identifying the repository object is supported by a node configured to receive the request; and sending the request, via a communication interface, to the node associated with the repository in which the repository object is or will be stored, wherein the node is configured to: determine the particular manner selected from the plurality of different manners of identifying the repository object based at least in part on inferring from the object identifying information included in the request; and locate the repository object associated with the request using at least a portion of the object identifying information included in the request based on the determined particular manner of identifying the repository object.