Distributed metadata servers for cluster file systems using shared low latency persistent key-value metadata store

A distributed metadata storage environment, comprising:

• a plurality of compute nodes, wherein at least one of said compute nodes comprises a file system client that generates at least one metadata request;
• a plurality of metadata servers connected to said plurality of compute nodes using at least one network, wherein each of said plurality of metadata servers comprises an abstract storage interface comprising a software interface module that communicates with at least one shared persistent key-value metadata store providing a key-value interface for persistent storage of key-value metadata, wherein said software interface module provides said key-value metadata to said at least one shared persistent key-value metadata store in a key-value format,
• wherein said shared persistent key-value metadata store is partitioned across said plurality of said metadata servers and wherein a metadata request affecting multiple partitions of the namespace is processed by one of said metadata servers independently of other metadata servers in said plurality of metadata servers.