Patent ID: 8775734

Claim:
One or more computer-readable storage media comprising computer-executable instructions for implementing a virtual disk, the computer-executable instructions performing steps comprising: receiving a virtual disk topology comprising a specification of: a top layer of child disks supporting the virtual disk, a bottom layer of child disks supporting each of the child disks in the top layer of child disks, and storage nodes supporting each of the child disks in the bottom layer of child disks such that data stored on each of the child disks in the bottom layer of child disks is actually stored in a storage segment that is stored on a computer-readable storage medium that is communicationally coupled to a computing device that is part of the storage nodes; presenting the virtual disk to an operating system as a standard computer-readable storage medium; receiving a first request from the operating system to store a first set of data on the virtual disk; storing, in response to the receiving the first request, the first set of data at least some of the storage nodes in accordance with the received virtual disk topology; receiving a second request from the operating system to read a second set of data from the virtual disk; reading, in response to the receiving the second request, the second set of data from at least some of the storage nodes in accordance with the received virtual disk topology.