Encrypting object index in a distributed storage environment

A method comprising:

• accumulating, in first data structures in a first storage medium in a distributed storage system, data and system metadata generated for storing the data in the distributed storage system, the data received from a plurality of sources having distinct identities, and the data being of different types;
• converting the first data structures, after a predetermined criterion is satisfied, into second data structures for storing in a second storage medium in the distributed storage system;
• compressing and encrypting the data when converting the first data structures into the second data structures;
• batching accumulated system metadata, and compressing and encrypting the accumulated system metadata to form compressed and encrypted system metadata;
• and
• storing the second data structures including compressed and encrypted system metadata and data in the second storage medium in the distributed storage system.

A distributed storage system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• a tangible machine readable medium storing machine readable instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to:
• receive data of one or more types from one or more sources having distinct identities for storing the data in a distributed storage system;
• generate system metadata for storing the data in the distributed storage system;
• store the system metadata generated for storing the data in data structures in the distributed storage system;
• select a portion of the system metadata generated for storing the data in the distributed storage system;
• batch the portion of the system metadata selected;
• compress the portion of the system metadata that was batched to form compressed system metadata;
• encrypt the compressed system metadata using a single key or using a separate key for each data type to form encrypted compressed system metadata;
• and
• store the encrypted compressed system metadata in the distributed storage system.