Abstract: A system and method enables a server, such as a filer, configured with a plurality of virtual servers, such as virtual filers, to provide two types of administrators for administering the filer. A physical filer (pfiler) administrator manages or administers common physical aspects of the filer, such as hardware resources of the filer and software objects that represent those resources. In contrast, a virtual filer (vfiler) administrator administers logical aspects of a vfiler, such as access control for logical storage resources belonging to the vfiler. The system provides full administrative capability authority to the pfiler administrator to administer the filer platform, including the ability to create and administer vfilers, whereas only a subset of administrative capabilities is provided to each vfiler administrator to facilitate its administrative function on behalf of a client.