Patent ID: 8447864

Claim:
A storage system comprising: a portal comprising a computer, wherein the portal is to: map logical bins to corresponding component data-storage systems that provide a distributed, differential data storage; receive data objects from at least one client computer; and direct the data objects through the logical bins to the component data-storage systems, wherein the portal is to direct the data objects to the component data-storage systems according to compression-enhancing routing that routes the data objects to the component data-storage systems based on determination by the portal of which of the component data-storage systems provides increased compression of each respective one of the data objects relative to another of the component data-storage systems, wherein the compression-enhancing routing comprises selecting, for storage of a particular one of the data objects, a component data-storage system from among the component data-storage systems, based on comparing levels of compression that can be obtained by storing the particular data object in the component data storage systems, wherein the selection of the component data-storage system for storage of the particular data object is based on selecting the component data-storage system that is able to achieve a higher level of compression.