Network storage system

A method for retrieving files in a network storage system, the method comprising:

• storing file system information in a virtual file system (“VFS”) for a single file system;
• accessing, at a client, the virtual file system and a plurality of storage centers using a storage port, the storage port, mounted at the client, translates a client local file system request to a network storage file system request including a file identifier identifying a file in the single file system;
• providing at least one additional storage port for accessing the virtual file system and the storage centers in an event of a failover condition of the storage port;
• receiving the network storage file system request from the client at the VFS to access the file in the network storage system;
• generating at the VFS, in response to the network storage file system request from the client, a storage resource locator (“SRL”);
• storing a plurality of files for the single file system in the plurality of storage centers, the storage centers located in geographically disparate locations from each other, the client and the VFS;
• coupling the storage centers to the client through a wide area, public access network;
• transmitting, from the client directly to one of the storage centers, over a wide area, public access network, the SRL received from the VFS, wherein the SRL comprises a public access network address for a storage center to access the one of the storage centers over the wide area, public access network and comprises a unique file identifier associated with contents of the file to uniquely identify the file stored at the one of the storage centers;
• and
• downloading, over the wide area, public access network, the file identified by the SRL from the storage center identified to the client.

A network storage system comprising:

• a storage port for accessing at a client, a virtual file system and a storage center, the storage port, mounted at the client, translates a client local file system request to a network storage file system request including a file identifier identifying a file in a single file system;
• a virtual file system (“VFS”) storing file system information for the single file system, wherein the client of the network storage system accesses the VFS via the storage port over a network to manage a plurality of files of the single file system, and wherein the client receives a generated storage resource locator (“SRL”) from the VFS in response to the network storage file system request to access the file in the single file system;
• the storage center, located in geographically disparate locations from the client and the VFS, and coupled to the client through a wide area, public access network, the storage center storing a plurality of files for the single file system, wherein the client of the network storage system transmits the received SRL directly to the storage center over the wide area, public access network, and downloads the file over the wide area, public access network, and wherein the SRL includes a public access network address for the storage center to access the storage center over the wide area, public access network and a unique identifier associated with contents of the file to uniquely identify the file stored at the storage center;
• and
• at least one additional storage port for accessing the virtual file system and the storage center in an event of a failover condition of the storage port.