Multi-platform data storage system supporting containers of virtual storage resources

A multi-platform data storage system for maintaining containers including one or more virtual storage resources, the multi-platform data storage system comprising:

• a storage interface configured to enable access to a plurality of storage platforms that use different storage access and management protocols, the plurality of storage platforms storing data objects in physical data storage;
• and
• a storage mobility and management layer providing virtual management of virtual storage resources corresponding to one or more data objects stored in the plurality of storage platforms, the storage mobility and management layer including at least a container management sub-system that manages logical containers that contain one or more of the virtual storage resources,
• wherein the container management sub-system permits sharing of the containers with one or more other peer multi-platform data storage systems via one or more networks, and
• wherein the one or more virtual storage resources included in a selected one of the logical containers comprise files having unique file names, and wherein the container management sub-system is configured to create a new version of a corresponding one of the files when associated metadata for the corresponding one of the files has changed.