Patent ID: 7409397

Claim:
A machine-implemented method for performing network file system (NFS) operations across a plurality of database servers, comprising: in response to receiving a first request to perform a first NFS operation, generating, at a first database server of the plurality of database servers, a filehandle for a particular file; wherein generating the filehandle includes either: generating the filehandle based, at least in part, on an identifier that is a database object identifier that uniquely identifies the particular file relative to all other files that are stored within a database; or generating the filehandle based, at least in part, on an identifier that is a virtual resource identifier that uniquely identifies the particular file relative to all other resources that are stored externally to the database; wherein the filehandle includes information that allows any server of the plurality of database servers to locate the particular file at a location within the database or external to the database; sending, from the first database server to a client, the filehandle; receiving, from the client, at a second database server of the plurality of database servers, a second request to perform a second NFS operation on the particular file associated with the filehandle, wherein the first database server is distinct from the second database server, and wherein the second request contains the filehandle; and the second database server using the filehandle to locate the particular file, within the database or external to the database, against which to perform the second NFS operation without receiving, from the first database server, information that associates said filehandle with the particular file.