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A storage system architecture comprises one or more volumes distributed across a plurality of nodes interconnected as a cluster. The volumes are organized as a striped volume set (SVS) and configured to store content of data containers served by the cluster in response to multi-protocol data access

A storage system architecture comprises one or more volumes distributed across a plurality of nodes interconnected as a cluster. The volumes are organized as a striped volume set (SVS) and configured to store content of data containers served by the cluster in response to multi-protocol data access requests issued by clients. Each node of the cluster includes (i) a storage server adapted to service a volume of the SVS and (ii) a multi-protocol engine adapted to redirect the data access requests to any storage server of the cluster. Notably, the content of each data container is apportioned among the volumes of the SVS to thereby improve the efficiency of storage service provided by the cluster.

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The invention claimed is: 1. A system for striping one or more data containers across a striped volume set, the system comprising: a plurality of volumes organized into the striped volume set, the striped volume set defined by a set of striping rules, wherein each volume is a logical arrangement of

The invention claimed is: 1. A system for striping one or more data containers across a striped volume set, the system comprising: a plurality of volumes organized into the striped volume set, the striped volume set defined by a set of striping rules, wherein each volume is a logical arrangement of a plurality of storage devices; and a volume striping module executing on one or more computers in a cluster, each of the computers serving one or more of the plurality of volumes, wherein the volume striping module implements commands directed to storing a data container across the plurality of volumes of the striped volume set. 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the set of file striping rules comprises a stripe width. 3. The system of claim 1 wherein the striping rules comprises a striping algorithm identifier that identifies a striping algorithm utilized with the striped volume set. 4. The system of claim 1 wherein the striping rules comprises an ordered set of volumes. 5. The system of claim 4 wherein a first of the ordered set of volumes comprises a meta-data volume. 6. The system of claim 1 wherein one of the plurality of volumes is defined as a container attribute volume for each of the one or more data containers striped across the striped volume set. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the data container is a file. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the data container is a logical unit. 9. A system for striping one or more data containers across a striped volume set, the system comprising: one or more network elements adapted to receive commands from a client directed to the striped volume set and further adapted to translate the received commands into a protocol for communication with one of one or more disk elements, wherein each volume of the striped volume set is a logical arrangement of a plurality of storage devices; wherein each of the disk elements comprises a volume striping module adapted to process the protocol to implement operations directed to store a data container across the plurality of volumes of the striped volume set. 10. The system of claim 9 wherein the striped volume set comprises of a plurality of volumes, each of the plurality of volumes being served by one of the one or more disk elements. 11. The system of claim 9 wherein the striped volume set is defined by a set striping rules. 12. The system of claim 11 wherein the set of striping rules comprises a stripe width. 13. The system of claim 11 wherein the striping rules comprises a striping algorithm indicator, the striping algorithm indicator identifying a striping algorithm utilized with the striped volume set. 14. The system of claim 11 wherein the striping rules comprises an ordered set of volumes. 15. The system of claim 11 wherein a first of the ordered set of volumes comprises a meta-data volume. 16. The system of claim 9, wherein the data container is a file. 17. The system of claim 9, wherein the data container is a logical unit. 18. A method for striping one or more data containers across a striped volume set, comprising: defining the striped volume set using a set of striping rules; organizing a plurality of volumes organized into the striped volume set, the striped volume set defined by a set of striping rules and each volume is a logical arrangement of a plurality of storage devices; and providing a volume striping module executing on one or more computers in a cluster, each of the computers serving one or more of the plurality of volumes, wherein the volume striping module implements commands directed to store a data container across the plurality of volumes of the striped volume set. 19. The method of claim 18 wherein the set of striping rules comprises a stripe width. 20. The method of claim 18 wherein the striping rules comprises a striping algorithm identifier that identifies a striping algorithm utilized with the striped volume set. 21. The method of claim 18 wherein the striping rules comprises an ordered set of volumes. 22. The method of claim 21 wherein a first of the ordered set of volumes comprises a meta-data volume. 23. The method of claim 18 further comprising defining one of the plurality of volumes as a container attribute volume for each of the one or more data containers striped across the striped volume set. 24. The method of claim 18 further comprising defining one of the plurality of volumes as a meta-data volume. 25. The method of claim 18, wherein the data container is a file. 26. The method of claim 18, wherein the data container is a logical unit. 27. A system, comprising: two or more computers coupled together to form a cluster; a plurality of volumes distributed across the two or more computers to form a striped volume set, wherein the striped volume set is defined by a set of striping rules, and each volume is a logical arrangement of storage space attached to a computer of the two or more computers; and a volume striping module executed on one or more computers in the cluster, wherein the volume striping module stripes one or more data containers across the striped volume set. 28. The system of claim 27, wherein the plurality of volumes are a plurality of virtual volumes. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein one or more storage devices attached to a first computer of the two or more computers are logically arranged to form an aggregate with a global storage space. 30. The system of 29, wherein one or more of the plurality of virtual volumes are stored within the aggregate of the first computer. 31. The system of claim 27, wherein the plurality of volumes are physical volumes. 32. The system of claim 27, wherein the data container is a file or a lun. 33. The system of claim 27, wherein one volume of the plurality of volumes is a metadata volume and stores access control lists and directories of the data containers stored across the striped volume set. 34. The system of claim 33, wherein one or more volumes of the plurality of volumes is a data volume and stores data of the one or more data containers. 35. The system of claim 27, wherein the set of file striping rules comprises a stripe width. 36. The system of claim 27, wherein the striping rules comprises a striping algorithm identifier that identifies a striping algorithm utilized with the striped volume set. 37. The system of claim 27, wherein the striping rules comprises an ordered set of volumes. 38. The system of claim 27, further comprising: one or more network elements configured to receive commands from a client directed to the striped volume set and further configured to translate the received commands into a protocol for communication with one of one or more disk elements. 39. The system of claim 38, wherein each of the plurality of volumes is served by one of the one or more disk elements. 40. A method, comprising: coupling two or more computers together to form a cluster; organizing a plurality of volumes as a striped volume set using a set of striping rules, wherein the plurality of volumes are distributed across the cluster and each volume is a logical arrangement of storage space attached to a computer of the two or more computers; and storing one or more data containers in a stripe across the striped volume set. 41. The method of claim 40, wherein the set of striping rules comprises a stripe width and an ordered set of volumes. 42. The method of claim 40, wherein the striping rules comprises a striping algorithm identifier that identifies a striping algorithm utilized with the striped volume set. 43. The method of claim 40, wherein the data container is a file or a lun. 44. The method of claim 40, wherein one volume of the plurality of volumes is a metadata volume and stores access control lists and directories of the data containers stored across the striped volume set, and one or more volumes of the plurality of volumes is a data volume and stores data of the one or more data containers. 45. The method of claim 40, wherein the plurality of volumes are a plurality of virtual volumes. 46. The method of claim 45, wherein one or more storage devices attached to a first computer of the two or more computers are logically arranged to form an aggregate with a global storage space, and the aggregate stores one or more virtual volumes of the plurality of virtual volumes. 47. The method of claim 40, wherein the plurality of volumes are physical volumes. 48. A system for striping one or more data containers across a striped volume set, the system comprising: a plurality of volumes organized into the striped volume set, the striped volume set defined by a set of striping rules, wherein each volume is a logical arrangement of a plurality of storage devices; a volume striping module executing on one or more computers in a cluster, each of the computers serving one or more of the plurality of volumes, wherein the volume striping module implements commands directed to storing a data container across the plurality of volumes of the striped volume set; and a RAID system module striping each portion of the data container across the plurality of storage devices in each volume assigned to store a portion of the data container. 49. A computer readable storage medium containing executable program instructions executed by a processor, comprising: program instructions that define a striped volume set using a set of striping rules; program instructions that organize a plurality of volumes organized into the striped volume set, the striped volume set defined by a set of striping rules and each volume is a logical arrangement of a plurality of storage devices; and program instructions that provide a volume striping module executing on one or more computers in a cluster, each of the computers serving one or more of the plurality of volumes, wherein the volume striping module implements commands directed to store a data container across the plurality of volumes of the striped volume set. 50. A method, comprising: coupling two or more computers together to form a cluster; organizing a plurality of volumes as a striped volume set using a set of striping rules, wherein the plurality of volumes are distributed across the cluster and each volume is a logical arrangement of one or more RAID groups; and storing one or more data containers in a stripe across the striped volume set.