Patent ID: 8082262

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising: (a) at a first computer, receiving a request from a requesting computer, the request including a specific name of a particular data item, the particular data item comprising a particular sequence of bits, and the specific name of the particular data item having been determined, at least in part, as a given function of the particular sequence of bits, wherein two identical sequences of bits have the same name as determined using the given function, and wherein said particular data item consists of one or more non-overlapping parts, each of the one or more non-overlapping parts comprising at least some of the particular sequence of bits, and wherein each of said parts is replicated in multiple locations of a plurality of locations; (b) causing said requesting computer to obtain information about said particular data item from a second computer distinct from said first computer; (c) hardware in combination with software at said second computer, using the specific name of the particular data item to determine information about at least one part of the one or more parts that comprise the particular data item, said information including location information about which of said plurality of locations should have a replica of said at least one part; (d) providing said at least some of said location information to said requesting computer.