Patent ID: 8015160

Claim:
A computer-implemented system comprising: a plurality of storage devices, each storage device of the plurality of storage devices configured to store a plurality of files; at least one indexing system coupled to said each storage device of the plurality of storage devices over a packet switched network and configured to: track usage levels of at least some of the plurality of files; maintain records identifying where the plurality of files are stored on the plurality of storage devices according to the tracked usage levels; receive a forwarded file access request for a selected one of the plurality of files; search through the records to identify at least one of the plurality of storage devices that stores the selected file; forward the received file access request to the identified at least one of the plurality of storage devices; issue content management directives that alter a number of instances or location of the files stored on the plurality of storage devices in accordance with previously received file access requests forwarded from the at least one indexing system to the plurality of storage devices; and relinquish a network connection established with an originating client computer to the identified at least one of the plurality of storage devices; and a gateway configured to: receive a file access request for the selected file from the originating client computer over the network; forward the received file access request to the at least one indexing system; generate a connection object that identifies the originating client computer and the at least one indexing system; and change the generated connection object to include the identified at least one of the plurality of the storage devices.