1. A file server comprising: a memory interface configured to communicate with a memory storing at least one segment of a distributed, segmented single file system implemented by an association of devices including a plurality of file servers that control metadata of separate segments of the file system, the single file system including file system entities residing in the segments, each entity comprising at least a portion of a file or at least a portion of a directory; and a processor coupled to the memory interface and configured to: identify a file system entity residing on a first segment in the distributed file system and directly pointed to by a first remote ancestor directory that resides on a second segment physically separate from the first segment; and store a first shadow tree entry in a selected segment other than the second segment, the selected segment being controlled by one of the plurality of servers, and the first shadow tree entry providing an address for the identified file system entity and being disposed in a shadow tree; wherein the first shadow tree entry and the first remote ancestor directory are both usable to access the identified file system entity in the distributed file system.