A system receives a request to store data at a first layer of servers in a cluster, configured to authenticate and authorize the request. The system compresses the data upon authenticating and authorizing the request and encrypts the compressed data at the first layer of servers when encryption is enabled. The system sends the request and the encrypted data to a second layer of servers in the cluster, configured to store data structures used to manage data storage in a third layer of servers in the cluster, and to distribute the request and the encrypted data to the third layer of servers using the data structures. The system stores the encrypted data in the third layer of servers. Encrypting the data at the first layer of servers reduces latency associated with transferring the data between the first, second, and third layers of servers.