Abstract: Data streams are stored in a non-structured arrangement in which information is defined by references in data streams identifying data elements in related data streams. A first data stream is placed in a frozen state such that the information contained the data stream is unmodifiable, and a first data element is identified within the first data stream, the first data element containing the same information as a second data element within a second data stream. The first data element is removed from the first data stream and a reference to the second data element is inserted.

Abstract: Data is stored in data streams of varying size over a network so that a particular data stream may be considered as being stored locally or remotely. A request is received to modify a first data stream, and a frozen condition to the effect that said first data stream is not modifiable is identified. A second data stream that comprises a reference to the first data stream is created, and the information contained in said second data stream is modified according to said request.

Abstract: Data is stored and data objects are indexed by an index having a tree configuration and the tree is traversed to identify the location of a data object. Data objects are analyzed to assess the extent to which a second data object is related to a first data object, and locations of related data objects within the tree are clustered so as to minimize tree traversal when accessing data objects considered to be related.

Abstract: Data is stored in streams of varying size, a plurality of data streams are linked by references to form an application file such that each data stream is a portion of an application file, and an operating system transfers said application file between storage and a client application. Data streams that are below a predetermined size are identified as data fragments, wherein a plurality of data fragments are written to storage in a data block. Each data fragment is analysed to determine whether it is related in content to a first set of data fragments or to a second set of data fragments, the first set of data fragments is placed in a first block and the second set of data fragments is placed in a second block.

Abstract: Data is stored in streams of varying size and an operating system transfers data between storage and a client application in the form of an application file. Instructions are received to write a stream of data to storage and the size of the stream of data is identified. The stream of data is written to storage as an operating system file if the identified size is larger than an upper threshold, in a first treated way if the identified size falls within a predetermined range, and in a second treated way if the identified size is smaller than a lower threshold.

Abstract: Data streams are stored in a non-structured arrangement in which related data is defined by a reference in a first data stream identifying a data element in a second data stream. Instructions are received from a user to establish a virtual file system that provides a structure for a plurality of application files, wherein the information in each of the application files is contained in a plurality of data streams. The structure is defined by at least one hierarchical index, the nodes of said index being data streams. Instructions are received to write data to or read data from the virtual file system, and relevant data streams are modified to reflect instructed manipulations to data presented to a user via the virtual file system.