1. A method for providing content protection on a client information processing system, the method on the client information processing system comprising: sending a request to a server information processing system for access to a file residing at the client information processing system using a client application, wherein the file comprises content encrypted with a first encrypting key and metadata associated with the content and wherein the request includes an access control policy identifier from the metadata for enabling the server information processing system to identify at least one access control policy associated with the content, wherein the access control policy identifier is separate and distinct from content identification data for identifying the content, and wherein the request comprises at least one type of access required; receiving a reply to the request from the server information processing system, wherein the reply includes a grant of access to the content in response to the server information processing system determining that the request is in accordance with a set of access control policy associated with the content, and wherein the set of access control policies remains with the server information processing system and is not transmitted to the client information processing system; and accessing the content in the file using the client application in response to the reply that is received from the server information processing system.