A system, computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and a computer-implemented method for storing metadata for a file in a distributed storage system is presented. Metadata for a file is generated. A subset of metadata clusters in a distributed storage system is identified to form a quorum of metadata clusters. Requests to store the metadata for the file on the metadata clusters in the distributed storage system are issued, where the requests include high priority requests to store the metadata for the file on at least one of the metadata clusters in the quorum of metadata clusters and normal priority requests to store the metadata in the remaining metadata clusters, the metadata being stored on the at least one of the metadata clusters in the quorum of metadata clusters before being stored on the remaining metadata clusters.