Patent ID: 7680950

Claim:
A computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions executable to implement a method comprising: a first node in a first LAN selecting a second node in the first LAN to store location information for a first object, wherein the location information specifies that the first object is stored on the first node, wherein each node in the first LAN has a node ID and the first object has an object ID, and wherein the first node selects the second node based on a deterministic relation that depends on the object ID of the first object irrespective of the node ID of the first node; the first node sending the location information for the first object to the second node; the second node storing the location information for the first object in response to receiving the location information; the first node selecting a second LAN to store the location information for the first object; the first node sending the location information for the first object to the second LAN; and a third node in the second LAN storing the location information for the first object in response to receiving the location information; a fourth node in the first LAN performing a search operation to locate the first object, wherein said performing the search operation comprises: the fourth node selecting the second node to query for the location information for the first object; the fourth node querying the second node for the location information for the first object; and the fourth node receiving the location information for the first object from the second node in response to said querying.