Abstract: A method and system for improving availability of a network file system service are disclosed. In one embodiment. a method of a client device for improving an availability of a network file system service in a network of the client device and a file server includes receiving a user request. The method also includes selectively caching data associated with the user request and serviced by the file server to a storage device associated with the client device via a heuristics process which is based on one or more measurable parameters of the network. The method further includes forwarding the data from the file server or the storage device to service the user request.

Abstract: Attribute information is associated with a file system object that is part of a distributed file system stored in a server system. In response to a request for the file system object from a first client, the attribute information associated with the file system object is accessed. The accessed attribute information allows for differentiated treatment in processing the request for the file system object from the first client as compared to a request for the file system object received from another client.

Abstract: A computing system configured to receive service requests, comprising a memory for storing service request data and a service request handler. The computing system is configured to respond to a service request by registering a call back routine configured to pass details of the service request to the memory if executed by a panic process upon a system crash, the memory is configured to store the details of the service request passed to it, and the service request handler is configured to compare the service request to the service request data in the memory and to deny the service request if the service request matches a predefined portion of the service request data.