1. A method for performing a takeover procedure in a storage system environment, the method comprising the steps of: coupling two or more storage system nodes in a cluster, each storage system node configured to service one or more volumes of a disk array; in response to a failure of one of said storage system nodes, notifying one or more surviving storage system nodes in the cluster to takeover a set of assigned disks previously associated with the failed storage system node; at said surviving storage system nodes, asserting ownership of each disk previously associated with the failed storage system node that are assigned to that surviving storage system node; assimilating each disk previously associated with the failed storage system node into one or more new data containers; bringing online volumes associated with the new data container; and processing at each surviving storage system node, at least one of data access requests for data volumes of said new data container, and data access requests for data originally associated with that surviving storage system node.