1. A distributed data storage system comprising: a plurality of physical storage volumes for storing a plurality of files of data identified by a single file system; storage area network (“SAN”) for coupling said physical storage volumes; client network; a plurality of storage nodes, coupled to said client network and to said storage area network, each one of said storage nodes for conducting storage operations on said files of said file system stored on said physical storage volumes; and load balancing switch, coupled to said network and to said storage nodes, for receiving a request from a client to conduct a storage operation on a file identified in said file system and for selecting one of said storage nodes to process said storage operation.