Asynchronous namespace maintenance

Asynchronous namespace maintenance in a distributed replicated data storage system is disclosed. An access device/program serving as a front end to the distributed replicated data storage system updates a batch of updated meta data about stored data items when data items are stored in the distributed replicated data storage system. When the elapsed time since the last batch of data item meta data was stored exceeds a first threshold value or the current batch size exceeds a second threshold value, the access device/program stores the current batch of updated meta data as an object in the distributed replicated data storage system, receiving a batch object identifier for the stored batch of updated meta data, and distributes the batch object identifier to other access devices and/or access programs which retrieve the batch of updated meta data and update their namespaces.