Abstract: A system includes storage configured to store file system entities, including directories and files, residing in segments of a distributed, segmented single file system, file servers configured to implement the single file system with separate ones of the file servers controlling metadata of separate ones of the segments, and a controller configured to control storage of files in the file system such that for a master file stored in a first segment, a first replica of the master file will be stored in a second segment that is physically separate from the first segment, the controller being further configured to control storage of directories in the file system such that a single directory will include identifiers for the master file and the first replica.

Abstract: An apparatus in a first device of an association of devices includes a processor configured to: communicate with a storage device storing segments of a distributed, segmented single first file system including file system entities residing in segments and including at least portions of one of files and directories, the association of devices including file servers that control metadata of separate segments of the single first file system, including metadata of file system entities residing in the segments; communicate with a backup module configured to backup file system data of a second file system different from a distributed, segmented file system; analyze data in the single first file system to determine data associated with different segments of the single first file system; and present data from the single first file system to the backup module in accordance with what data belong to which segment of the single first file system.