A system for responding to file system requests including a plurality of network elements with at least a network element of the plurality of network elements receiving the requests. The system includes a plurality of switching elements in communication with the network elements which route the requests. The system includes a plurality of disk elements in which files are stored and which respond to the requests in communication with the switching elements, the network element insures each request from the network element is only executed once, the network element retransmits each request for which the network element does not receive an acknowledgment from the switching elements. A method for responding to file system requests.