Abstract: A technique to stripe a data object that focuses on the data object, but not on the storage media storing the data object. The data object, which can be of any size, is striped into data units at the object level. The technique includes the steps of striping a part of the data object that has not been striped before into at least one data unit. Then, at least one redundant unit is generated from the immediately striped at least one data unit to produce a stripe. The above steps are repeated until the entire data object is striped.

Abstract: A method to recover lost data in a piece of information transmitted from a number of server computers to a client computer. The method includes the steps of transmitting by the server computers a piece of server data to the client computer. The piece of server data includes the piece of information and at least one redundant symbol. Due to the failing of at least a part of one of the server computers, data are lost. The client computer identifies such a loss. The client computer recovers the lost data using the one or more redundant symbols. Then, the remaining non-failing server computers transmit another set of server data, which include another piece of information with at least one additional redundant symbol over what was previously transmitted to the client computer. This will ensure that the client computer can recover additional data lost due to the failing of at least a part of another server computer.