1. A storage system comprising: a file system that uses variable sized objects to store data, the file system being implemented using: one or more ranks, each of the ranks including an array of storage devices configured to provide a plurality of stripes for storing objects; wherein the file system is adapted to write each stripe of data into the one or more ranks as a unit; wherein the system is configured to: maintain N checkpoints of prior states of an object, wherein N≧1, wherein an object map is configured to reference N instances of the prior states; take a new snapshot; make a presently current instance of the object into a golden image; and delete all intermediate versions and an oldest version of the golden image.