Abstract: A method for managing storage and access to data files stored in a storage delivery network comprising a plurality of geographically distributed storage nodes, the method including: receiving a file request from a user, wherein the user is associated with a service level agreement (SLA) containing one or more policies governing handling of file requests from the user; determining if the SLA dictates redirecting the file request to a predetermined storage node; if the SLA dictates redirecting the file request to a predetermined storage node, redirecting the file request to the predetermined storage node; otherwise, identifying all storage nodes from the plurality of geographically distributed storage nodes that are not too busy by determining whether a number of current access requests being served by each storage node exceeds a predetermined threshold value; identifying a nearest storage node from among the not too busy storage nodes; and redirecting the user request to the nearest storage node.

Abstract: A method for managing storage and access to data files stored in a storage delivery network comprising a plurality of geographically distributed storage nodes, the method including: receiving a file request from a user, wherein the user is associated with a service level agreement (SLA) containing one or more policies governing handling of file requests from the user; determining if the SLA dictates redirecting the file request to a predetermined storage node; if the SLA dictates redirecting the file request to a predetermined storage node, redirecting the file request to the predetermined storage node; otherwise, identifying all storage nodes from the plurality of geographically distributed storage nodes that are not too busy by determining whether a number of current access requests being served by each storage node exceeds a predetermined threshold value; identifying a nearest storage node from among the not too busy storage nodes; and redirecting the user request to the nearest storage node.

Abstract: A method for balancing loads among a plurality of data storage devices, includes: receiving a request from a user device to download a data file; identifying a first set of storage devices containing the requested data file, wherein the first set comprises one or more storage devices; identifying a first storage device from the set that is currently least busy among the storage devices in the first set, and directing the first storage device to serve the request; determining if the first storage device is too busy; and if the first storage device is too busy copying the requested data file to a second storage device which did not previously store the data file, thereby adding the second storage device to the first set of storage devices containing the requested data file.

Abstract: A method for managing storage and access to data files stored in a storage delivery network comprising a plurality of geographically distributed storage nodes, the method including: receiving a file request from a user, wherein the user is associated with a service level agreement (SLA) containing one or more policies governing handling of file requests from the user; determining if the SLA dictates redirecting the file request to a predetermined storage node; if the SLA dictates redirecting the file request to a predetermined storage node, redirecting the file request to the predetermined storage node; otherwise, identifying all storage nodes from the plurality of geographically distributed storage nodes that are not too busy by determining whether a number of current access requests being served by each storage node exceeds a predetermined threshold value; identifying a nearest storage node from among the not too busy storage nodes; and redirecting the user request to the nearest storage node.

Abstract: A method for moving files from one storage location to another, includes: receiving a request from a user to access a file; copying the file from a first storage element to a second storage element in response to the request, wherein the second storage element provides access to files at a higher rate than that provided by the first storage element; automatically determining whether a demand for the file exists; and automatically maintaining a copy of the file stored in the second storage element if the demand exists; otherwise automatically deleting the copy of the file stored in the second storage element.

Abstract: A method for managing storage and access to data files stored in a storage delivery network comprising a plurality of geographically distributed storage nodes, the method including: receiving a file request from a user, wherein the user is associated with a service level agreement (SLA) containing one or more policies governing handling of file requests from the user; determining if the SLA dictates redirecting the file request to a predetermined storage node; if the SLA dictates redirecting the file request to a predetermined storage node, redirecting the file request to the predetermined storage node; otherwise, identifying all storage nodes from the plurality of geographically distributed storage nodes that are near enough to the user based on one or more predetermined criteria; identifying a nearest storage node from among the near enough storage nodes; and redirecting the user request to the nearest storage node.

Abstract: A method for balancing loads among a plurality of data storage devices, includes: receiving a request from a user device to download a data file; identifying a first set of storage devices containing the requested data file, wherein the first set comprises one or more storage devices; identifying a first storage device from the set that is currently least busy among the storage devices in the first set, and directing the first storage device to serve the request; determining if the first storage device is too busy; and if the first storage device is too busy copying the requested data file to a second storage device which did not previously store the data file, thereby adding the second storage device to the first set of storage devices containing the requested data file.

Abstract: A method of coupling a user file name to a physical data file stored within a storage delivery network, includes: assigning a logical file identification value (LFID) to a data file stored in one or more storage nodes and storing the LFID in a computer readable memory; storing in the computer readable memory a node identification value (Node ID) indicative of where the data file is stored among a plurality of geographically distributed storage nodes and associating the Node ID with the LFID; and storing in the computer readable memory a file name for the data file created by a user and associating the file name with the LFID, wherein the LFID correlates the file name with the Node ID transparently to the user and allows the user to access the data file using just the file name.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for managing a plurality of unique account holders, each having dynamically controllable policies relating to storage, transfer bandwidth, file sizes, pricing options and the like. User accounts can be organized in a hierarchical structure, where an account in the hierarchical structure can manage any account beneath it. For example, a parent account can manage all of its child accounts. In one embodiment, tilling policies can be set by a parent account dictating whether its child account's usage of the system is billed to the parent account or the child account. Moreover, in one embodiment, policies set in an account are automatically inherited by all accounts beneath that account unless that account specifies otherwise.