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A method and apparatus for storing data on a computer data storage system are described. Two or more computers are coupled together to form a cluster of computers. One or more data storage devices are coupled to the two or more computers. One or more volumes of data storage devices are implemented on a plurality of computers of the two or more computers, where each volume is a logical arrangement of the one or more storage devices coupled to a selected computer of the plurality of computers. A data container holds data stored by the data storage system. The data container is striped over a plurality of the one or more volumes of data storage devices, whereby data stored in the data container is striped over a plurality of the volumes of data storage devices.