Patent ID: 7672945

Claim:
A method for creating member private data in a global namespace, the method comprising: a computer processor storing, in a repository shared by a plurality of members of a distributed system, first data that is associated with a key that is specified in a namespace; after storing said first data, said computer processor storing, in said repository, second data that is associated with said key; said computer processor storing, on a volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage medium, mapping data that: (a) maps said key to a first member of the distributed system and to a first data structure that stores said first data, thereby forming a first association between said key, said first member, and said first data, and (b) maps said key to a second member of the distributed system and to a second data structure that stores said second data, thereby forming a second association between said key, said second member, and said second data; after storing said second data associated with said key, said computer processor receiving from the first member a request for the value of said key and sending said first data to said first member due at least in part to an existence of said first association; said computer processor, in response to said request from said second member, sending said second data to said second member due at least in part to an existence of said second association; and said computer processor, based on said mapping data, preventing first member from accessing said second data and preventing second member from accessing said first data; wherein said first member is separate from said second member; and wherein said first data differs from said second data.