A system and method that provides users of network data storage with the ability to gain advantages of a clustered storage server system, in which volumes from multiple server nodes are linked into a virtual global hierarchical namespace, without first having to migrate their data to the clustered storage server system. The system and method extends the global namespace of the clustered storage server system to allow access to one or more volumes stored on one or more remote storage servers over at least one network pathway communicably connecting the remote storage servers and the clustered storage server system. In addition, the system and method allows loads to the clustered system and to the remote storage servers to be balanced or shared by generating at least one set of mirrored volumes accessible via the extended global namespace of the clustered system.