Processing in an asymmetrically distributed file system may include storing first data representative of the content of the files in a file system volume among a plurality of storage nodes. Second data representative of attributes of the files in the file system volume may be stored in only one of the storage nodes. Time-limited leases allow clients direct access to the plurality of storage node in order to access portions of the file system volume. The time-limited leases may be provided to client lessors. Snapshots of the file system volume may be generated after sending a revocation to the client lessors to revoke time-limited leases provided to the client lessors and having received the acknowledgements of the revocations or after the leases have expired for non-responding lessors, to ensure that changes are not made to the file system volume during snapshot processing.