System and Method for Cloud Computing

A distributed computing system comprising:

• a plurality of cloud instances for processing data, the plurality of cloud instances connected by a network, each cloud instance comprising:
• a cartographer for mapping said data to particular instances of the plurality of cloud instances;
• and
• a registration service configured to transmit availability information about the instance and receive availability information about the other cloud instances;
• at least one local resource configured to operate on the data.

A plurality of instances of cloud elements connected by a network, each cloud element comprising:

• a cloud service comprising:
• a cartographer service providing mapping information for determining which of the plurality of instances of cloud elements may contain mapped data;
• a cartographer proxy providing a communication interface for the cartographer service to communicate with the plurality of instances of cloud elements;
• a registration service, providing information about the availability of the plurality of instances of cloud elements;
• a file service resource for retrieving and storing a file-mapped portion of the mapped data;
• and
• a cache service resource for retrieving and storing a cache-mapped portion the mapped data.