Content addressable information encapsulation, representation, and transfer

A first computer that manages storage of a digital asset for use in a computer system, wherein the computer system comprises the first computer and a second computer, the first computer comprising:

• at least one storage device;
• and
• at least one controller, coupled to the at least one storage device, that:
• receives a communication from the second computer including the digital assets, wherein the digital asset is identified in the computer system via a content identifier that is based, at least in part, on the content of the digital asset, wherein the content identifier is the only identifier that can be used to identify the digital asset in any communication between the first and second computers;
• determines whether the digital asset has been stored on the at least one storage device;
• and
• when it is determined that the digital asset is not stored on the at least one storage device, stores a copy of the digital asset.

A method of managing the storing of a digital asset by a first computer in a computer system that comprises a second computer, the method comprising acts, performed by the first computer, of:

• (A) receiving, at the first computer, a communication from the second computer including the digital asset, the digital asset being identified in the computer system by a first identifier generated based, at least in part, on the content of the digital asset, the computer system further storing a unit of data that comprises the first identifier and metadata relating to the digital asset, the unit of data being identified via a second identifier generated based, at least in part, on the content of the unit of data;
• (B) determining whether the digital asset has been stored by the first computer;
• and
• (C) when it is determined that the digital asset is not stored by the first computer, storing a copy of the digital asset.