Abstract: A method for locating an optimum storage node for serving a data file request received via a communications network, includes: receiving a file request from a user device coupled to the communications network; determining a geocode value based on a communications network address associated with the user device, wherein the geocode value is indicative of a geographic location of the user device; selecting a storage node from a plurality of storage nodes coupled to the communications network to serve the file request, wherein the storage node is selected based at least in part on the geocode value; and redirecting the file request to the selected storage node for handling.

Abstract: A method for locating an optimum storage node for serving a data file request received via a communications network, includes: receiving a file request from a user device coupled to the communications network; determining a geocode value based on a communications network address associated with the user device, wherein the geocode value is indicative of a geographic location of the user device; selecting a storage node from a plurality of storage nodes coupled to the communications network to serve the file request, wherein the storage node is selected based at least in part on the geocode value; and redirecting the file request to the selected storage node for handling.

Abstract: A method for locating an optimum storage node for serving a data file request received via a communications network, includes: receiving a file request from a user device coupled to the communications network; determining a geocode value based on a communications network address associated with the user device, wherein the geocode value is indicative of a geographic location of the user device; selecting a storage node from a plurality of storage nodes coupled to the communications network to serve the file request, wherein the storage node is selected based at least in part on the geocode value; and redirecting the file request to the selected storage node for handling.

Abstract: A method for locating an optimum storage node for serving a data file request received via a communications network, includes: receiving a file request from a user device coupled to the communications network; determining a geocode value based on a communications network address associated with the user device, wherein the geocode value is indicative of a geographic location of the user device; selecting a storage node from a plurality of storage nodes coupled to the communications network to serve the file request, wherein the storage node is selected based at least in part on the geocode value; and redirecting the file request to the selected storage node for handling.

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 locating an optimum storage node for serving a data file request received via a communications network, includes: receiving a file request from a user device coupled to the communications network; determining a geocode value based on a communications network address associated with the user device, wherein the geocode value is indicative of a geographic location of the user device; selecting a storage node from a plurality of storage nodes coupled to the communications network to serve the file request, wherein the storage node is selected based at least in part on the geocode value; and redirecting the file request to the selected storage node for handling.

Abstract: A method for locating an optimum storage node for serving a data file request received via a communications network, includes: receiving a file request from a user device coupled to the communications network; determining a geocode value based on a communications network address associated with the user device, wherein the geocode value is indicative of a geographic location of the user device; selecting a storage node from a plurality of storage nodes coupled to the communications network to serve the file request, wherein the storage node is selected based at least in part on the geocode value; and redirecting the file request to the selected storage node for handling.

Abstract: A method for locating an optimum storage node for serving a data file request received via a communications network, includes: receiving a file request from a user device coupled to the communications network; determining a geocode value based on a communications network address associated with the user device, wherein the geocode value is indicative of a geographic location of the user device; selecting a storage node from a plurality of storage nodes coupled to the communications network to serve the file request, wherein the storage node is selected based at least in part on the geocode value; and redirecting the file request to the selected storage node for handling.

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 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 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: A method for efficiently storing data files, includes: receiving a data file for storage at one of a plurality of storage devices, wherein the data file is associated with a specified user; determining whether an identical file already exists at one of the plurality of storage devices; deleting the received data file if it is determined that an identical file already exists at one of the plurality of storage devices; and directing subsequent requests to access the data file from the specified user to the storage device containing the identical file.

Abstract: A method for locating an optimum storage node for serving a data file request received via a communications network, includes: receiving a file request from a user device coupled to the communications network; determining a geocode value based on a communications network address associated with the user device, wherein the geocode value is indicative of a geographic location of the user device; selecting a storage node from a plurality of storage nodes coupled to the communications network to serve the file request, wherein the storage node is selected based at least in part on the geocode value; and redirecting the file request to the selected storage node for handling.

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: A method for balancing loads on a plurality of geographically distributed storage nodes coupled to a communications network, includes: receiving a request from a user device to download a data file; identifying all storage nodes from a plurality of geographically distributed storage nodes containing the requested data file; selecting a first storage node containing the requested file to serve the request; and determining if the first storage node is too busy, wherein if the first storage node is determined not to be too busy, directing the request to the first storage node, otherwise searching for a second storage node containing the requested data file that is not too busy and, if the second storage node is found, directing the request to the second storage node.