Cloud-native global file system with file accelerator

A file accelerator software-as-a-service (SaaS), comprising:

• multiple filers that share a volume in a private, public or hybrid cloud object store using scheduled push/pull activity on the volume, each filer comprising a physical or virtual machine;
• cloud-based infrastructure comprising at least one computing machine, the computing machine comprising computer memory holding computer program code, the computer program code configured as a controller distinct from the multiple filers to:
• continuously receive event data from the multiple filers that are configured to share the volume, wherein the event data represents user activity on a filer;
• upon receipt of an indication that a volume lock has been released at a given filer, analyze the event data thereafter received according to a prioritization scheme to determine a highest priority filer;
• and
• responsive to receipt of a query from the highest priority filer, deliver to the highest priority filer a recommendation to initiate a push on the volume to move data off the highest priority filer and into the cloud object store;
• wherein the push on the volume occurs independently of the scheduled push/pull activity, thereby reducing data propagation time for a data share.