Network file system-based data storage system

A method comprising:

• receiving, in a random order at a network file system interface, data blocks of files to be written, where each of the data blocks is part of a write I/O request;
• converting the randomly ordered data blocks of the write I/O requests into a piecewise sequential data structure for each file by sorting the unordered data blocks into a sequential stream for each file;
• segmenting each of the piecewise sequential data structures into one or more variable-length data segments;
• storing at least one of the variable-length data segments;
• identifying one or more variable length data segments identical to a stored variable length data segment;
• creating a reference to the stored variable length data segment for each variable length data segments identical to a stored variable length data segment;
• storing each reference to a storage unit;
• and
• deleting each of the one or more variable length data segments identical to a stored variable length data segment, subsequent to creating the reference to the stored variable length data segment for each variable length data segment identical to a stored variable length data segment.

An article of manufacture comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium having associated data, wherein the data, when accessed, results in a machine performing operations comprising:
• receiving, in a random order at a network file system interface, data blocks of files to be written, where each of the data blocks is part of a write I/O request;
• converting the randomly ordered data blocks of the write I/O requests into a piecewise sequential data structure for each file by sorting the unordered data blocks into a sequential stream for each file;
• segmenting each of the piecewise sequential data structures into one or more variable-length data segments;
• storing at least one of the variable-length data segments;
• identifying one or more variable length data segments identical to a stored variable length data segment;
• creating a reference to the stored variable length data segment for each variable length data segment identical to a stored variable length data segment;
• storing each reference to a storage unit;
• and
• deleting each of the one or more variable length data segments identical to a stored variable length data segment, subsequent to creating the reference to the stored variable length data segment for each variable length data segment identical to a stored variable length data segment.