diff --git a/common/pkgfiles/CMakeLists.txt b/common/pkgfiles/CMakeLists.txt
index 23540c6451a..3797d1cbe91 100644
--- a/common/pkgfiles/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/common/pkgfiles/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ include_directories (
         ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/rtl/include
         ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/rtl/eclrtl
         ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/common/workunit
+        ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/esp/clients/ws_dfsclient
     )
 
 if (NOT CONTAINERIZED)
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@ if(NOT PLUGIN)
     target_link_libraries(
         pkgfiles
         dfuwu
+        ws_dfsclient
         )
     if (NOT CONTAINERIZED)
         target_link_libraries(pkgfiles environment)
diff --git a/common/pkgfiles/pkgimpl.hpp b/common/pkgfiles/pkgimpl.hpp
index 17c53308cc4..bda48aa24ca 100644
--- a/common/pkgfiles/pkgimpl.hpp
+++ b/common/pkgfiles/pkgimpl.hpp
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ class PKGFILES_API CPackageNode : implements IHpccPackage, public CInterface
 
     inline StringBuffer &makeSuperFileXPath(StringBuffer &xpath, const char *superFileName) const
     {
-        superFileName = skipForeign(superFileName);
+        superFileName = skipForeignOrRemote(superFileName);
         return xpath.append("SuperFile[@id='").appendLower(strlen(superFileName), superFileName).append("']");
     }
 
diff --git a/common/pkgfiles/referencedfilelist.cpp b/common/pkgfiles/referencedfilelist.cpp
index 6a2d4b035fc..7350eb7688c 100644
--- a/common/pkgfiles/referencedfilelist.cpp
+++ b/common/pkgfiles/referencedfilelist.cpp
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include "environment.hpp"
 #endif
 
+#include "ws_dfsclient.hpp"
 
 #define WF_LOOKUP_TIMEOUT (1000*15)  // 15 seconds
 
@@ -56,32 +57,33 @@ bool checkForeign(const char *lfn)
     }
     return false;
 }
-const char *skipForeign(const char *name, StringBuffer *ip)
+
+static const char *skipNextLfnScope(const char *lfn, StringBuffer *s)
+{
+    const char *sep = strstr(lfn, "::");
+    if (sep)
+    {
+        if (s)
+            s->append(sep-lfn, lfn).trim();
+        sep += 2;
+        while (*sep == ' ')
+            sep++;
+        return sep;
+    }
+    return lfn;
+}
+const char *skipForeignOrRemote(const char *name, StringBuffer *ip, StringBuffer *remote)
 {
     unsigned maxTildas = 2;
     while (maxTildas-- && *name=='~')
         name++;
-    const char *d1 = strstr(name, "::");
-     if (d1)
+    const char *sep = strstr(name, "::");
+     if (sep)
      {
-        StringBuffer cmp;
-        if (strieq("foreign", cmp.append(d1-name, name).trim().str()))
-        {
-            // foreign scope - need to strip off the ip and port
-            d1 += 2;  // skip ::
-
-            const char *d2 = strstr(d1,"::");
-            if (d2)
-            {
-                if (ip)
-                    ip->append(d2-d1, d1).trim();
-                d2 += 2;
-                while (*d2 == ' ')
-                    d2++;
-
-                name = d2;
-            }
-        }
+        if (strnicmp("remote", name, sep-name)==0)
+            return skipNextLfnScope(sep+2, remote);
+        else if (strnicmp("foreign", name, sep-name)==0)
+            return skipNextLfnScope(sep+2, ip);
     }
     return name;
 }
@@ -135,13 +137,15 @@ class ReferencedFile : implements IReferencedFile, public CInterface
     {
         {
             //Scope ensures strings are assigned
-            StringAttrBuilder logicalNameText(logicalName), daliipText(daliip);
-            logicalNameText.set(skipForeign(lfn, &daliipText)).toLowerCase();
+            StringAttrBuilder logicalNameText(logicalName), daliipText(daliip), remoteStorageText(remoteStorage);
+            logicalNameText.set(skipForeignOrRemote(lfn, &daliipText, &remoteStorageText)).toLowerCase();
         }
-        if (daliip.length())
-            flags |= RefFileForeign;
+        if (remoteStorage.length())
+            flags |= RefFileLFNRemote;
+        else if (daliip.length())
+            flags |= RefFileLFNForeign;
         else
-            daliip.set(sourceIP);
+            daliip.set(sourceIP); // can be declared in packagemap at different scopes
         fileSrcCluster.set(srcCluster);
         filePrefix.set(prefix);
         if (isSubFile)
@@ -150,24 +154,27 @@ class ReferencedFile : implements IReferencedFile, public CInterface
 
     void reset()
     {
-        flags &= ~(RefFileNotOnCluster | RefFileNotFound | RefFileRemote | RefFileCopyInfoFailed | RefFileCloned | RefFileNotOnSource); //these flags are calculated during resolve
+        flags &= ~(RefFileNotOnCluster | RefFileNotFound | RefFileResolvedForeign | RefFileResolvedRemote | RefFileCopyInfoFailed | RefFileCloned | RefFileNotOnSource); //these flags are calculated during resolve
     }
 
-    IPropertyTree *getRemoteFileTree(IUserDescriptor *user, INode *remote, const char *remotePrefix);
-    IPropertyTree *getSpecifiedOrRemoteFileTree(IUserDescriptor *user, INode *remote, const char *remotePrefix);
+    IPropertyTree *getRemoteStorageFileTree(IUserDescriptor *user, const char *remoteStorageName, const char *remotePrefix);
+    IPropertyTree *getForeignFileTree(IUserDescriptor *user, INode *remote, const char *remotePrefix);
+    IPropertyTree *getFileOrProvidedForeignFileTree(IUserDescriptor *user, INode *remote, const char *remotePrefix);
 
     void processLocalFileInfo(IDistributedFile *df, const StringArray &locations, const char *srcCluster, StringArray *subfiles);
     void processLocalFileInfo(IDistributedFile *df, const char *dstCluster, const char *srcCluster, StringArray *subfiles);
+    void processForeignFileTree(IPropertyTree *tree, const char *srcCluster, StringArray *subfiles);
     void processRemoteFileTree(IPropertyTree *tree, const char *srcCluster, StringArray *subfiles);
 
     void resolveLocal(const StringArray &locations, const char *srcCluster, IUserDescriptor *user, StringArray *subfiles);
     void resolveLocal(const char *dstCluster, const char *srcCluster, IUserDescriptor *user, StringArray *subfiles);
 
-    void resolveRemote(IUserDescriptor *user, INode *remote, const char *remotePrefix, const StringArray &locations, const char *srcCluster, bool checkLocalFirst, StringArray *subfiles, bool resolveForeign=false);
-    void resolveRemote(IUserDescriptor *user, INode *remote, const char *remotePrefix, const char *dstCluster, const char *srcCluster, bool checkLocalFirst, StringArray *subfiles, bool resolveForeign=false);
+    void resolveRemote(IUserDescriptor *user, const char *remoteStorage, const char *remotePrefix, const StringArray &locations, const char *srcCluster, bool checkLocalFirst, StringArray *subfiles, bool resolveLFNForeign=false);
+    void resolveForeign(IUserDescriptor *user, INode *remote, const char *remotePrefix, const StringArray &locations, const char *srcCluster, bool checkLocalFirst, StringArray *subfiles, bool resolveLFNForeign=false);
+    void resolveForeign(IUserDescriptor *user, INode *remote, const char *remotePrefix, const char *dstCluster, const char *srcCluster, bool checkLocalFirst, StringArray *subfiles, bool resolveLFNForeign=false);
 
-    void resolve(const StringArray &locations, const char *srcCluster, IUserDescriptor *user, INode *remote, const char *remotePrefix, bool checkLocalFirst, StringArray *subfiles, bool trackSubFiles, bool resolveForeign=false);
-    void resolve(const char *dstCluster, const char *srcCluster, IUserDescriptor *user, INode *remote, const char *remotePrefix, bool checkLocalFirst, StringArray *subfiles, bool trackSubFiles, bool resolveForeign=false);
+    void resolveLocalOrRemote(const StringArray &locations, const char *srcCluster, IUserDescriptor *user, const char *remoteStorage, const char *remotePrefix, bool checkLocalFirst, StringArray *subfiles, bool trackSubFiles, bool resolveLFNForeign=false);
+    void resolveLocalOrForeign(const StringArray &locations, const char *srcCluster, IUserDescriptor *user, INode *remote, const char *remotePrefix, bool checkLocalFirst, StringArray *subfiles, bool trackSubFiles, bool resolveLFNForeign=false);
 
     virtual bool needsCopying(bool cloneForeign) const override;
 
@@ -175,7 +182,7 @@ class ReferencedFile : implements IReferencedFile, public CInterface
     virtual unsigned getFlags() const {return flags;}
     virtual const SocketEndpoint &getForeignIP(SocketEndpoint &ep) const
     {
-        if ((flags & RefFileForeign) && daliip.length())
+        if ((flags & RefFileLFNForeign) && daliip.length())
             ep.set(daliip.str());
         else
             ep.set(NULL);
@@ -203,6 +210,7 @@ class ReferencedFile : implements IReferencedFile, public CInterface
     StringAttr logicalName;
     StringAttr pkgid;
     StringAttr daliip;
+    StringAttr remoteStorage;
     StringAttr filePrefix;
     StringAttr fileSrcCluster;
     __int64 fileSize;
@@ -256,9 +264,9 @@ class ReferencedFileList : implements IReferencedFileList, public CInterface
         cloneFileInfo(publisherWuid, dstCluster, updateFlags, helper, cloneSuperInfo, cloneForeign, redundancy, channelsPerNode, replicateOffset, defReplicateFolder);
         cloneRelationships();
     }
-    virtual void resolveFiles(const StringArray &locations, const char *remoteIP, const char *_remotePrefix, const char *srcCluster, bool checkLocalFirst, bool addSubFiles, bool trackSubFiles, bool resolveForeign=false) override;
+    virtual void resolveFiles(const StringArray &locations, const char *remoteIP, const char *_remotePrefix, const char *srcCluster, bool checkLocalFirst, bool addSubFiles, bool trackSubFiles, bool resolveLFNForeign, bool useRemoteStorage) override;
 
-    void resolveSubFiles(StringArray &subfiles, const StringArray &locations, bool checkLocalFirst, bool trackSubFiles, bool resolveForeign);
+    void resolveSubFiles(StringArray &subfiles, const StringArray &locations, bool checkLocalFirst, bool trackSubFiles, bool resolveLFNForeign);
     virtual bool filesNeedCopying(bool cloneForeign);
     virtual void setDfuQueue(const char *queue) override
     {
@@ -270,6 +278,7 @@ class ReferencedFileList : implements IReferencedFileList, public CInterface
     Owned<IUserDescriptor> user;
     Owned<INode> remote;
     MapStringToMyClass<ReferencedFile> map;
+    StringAttr remoteStorage;
     StringAttr srcCluster;
     StringAttr remotePrefix;
     StringAttr jobName; //used to populate DFU job name, but could be used elsewhere
@@ -335,9 +344,9 @@ void ReferencedFile::processLocalFileInfo(IDistributedFile *df, const char *dstC
     processLocalFileInfo(df, locations, srcCluster, subfiles);
 }
 
-void ReferencedFile::processRemoteFileTree(IPropertyTree *tree, const char *srcCluster, StringArray *subfiles)
+void ReferencedFile::processForeignFileTree(IPropertyTree *tree, const char *srcCluster, StringArray *subfiles)
 {
-    flags |= RefFileRemote;
+    flags |= RefFileResolvedForeign;
     if (fileSrcCluster.length())
         srcCluster = fileSrcCluster;
     if (streq(tree->queryName(), queryDfsXmlBranchName(DXB_SuperFile)))
@@ -350,7 +359,7 @@ void ReferencedFile::processRemoteFileTree(IPropertyTree *tree, const char *srcC
             {
                 const char *lfn = it->query().queryProp("@name");
                 StringBuffer foreignLfn;
-                if (flags & RefFileForeign)
+                if (flags & RefFileLFNForeign)
                     lfn = foreignLfn.append("foreign::").append(this->daliip).append("::").append(lfn).str();
                 subfiles->append(lfn);
                 if (trackSubFiles)
@@ -367,7 +376,40 @@ void ReferencedFile::processRemoteFileTree(IPropertyTree *tree, const char *srcC
         numParts = tree->getPropInt("@numparts", 0);
         fileSize = tree->getPropInt64("Attr/@size", 0);
     }
+}
+
+void ReferencedFile::processRemoteFileTree(IPropertyTree *tree, const char *srcCluster, StringArray *subfiles)
+{
+    flags |= RefFileResolvedRemote;
+    if (fileSrcCluster.length())
+        srcCluster = fileSrcCluster;
+    if (streq(tree->queryName(), queryDfsXmlBranchName(DXB_SuperFile)))
+    {
+        flags |= RefFileSuper;
+        if (subfiles)
+        {
+            Owned<IPropertyTreeIterator> it = tree->getElements("SubFile");
+            ForEach(*it)
+            {
+                const char *lfn = it->query().queryProp("@name");
+                StringBuffer remoteLfn;
+                if (flags & RefFileLFNForeign)
+                    lfn = remoteLfn.append("remote::").append(this->remoteStorage).append("::").append(lfn).str();
+                subfiles->append(lfn);
+                if (trackSubFiles)
+                    subFileNames.append(lfn);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    else if (srcCluster && *srcCluster)
+    {
 
+        VStringBuffer xpath("Cluster[@name='%s']", srcCluster);
+        if (!tree->hasProp(xpath))
+            flags |= RefFileNotOnSource;
+        numParts = tree->getPropInt("@numparts", 0);
+        fileSize = tree->getPropInt64("Attr/@size", 0);
+    }
 }
 
 void ReferencedFile::resolveLocal(const StringArray &locations, const char *srcCluster, IUserDescriptor *user, StringArray *subfiles)
@@ -398,46 +440,46 @@ void ReferencedFile::resolveLocal(const char *dstCluster, const char *srcCluster
     resolveLocal(locations, srcCluster, user, subfiles);
 }
 
-IPropertyTree *ReferencedFile::getRemoteFileTree(IUserDescriptor *user, INode *remote, const char *remotePrefix)
+IPropertyTree *ReferencedFile::getForeignFileTree(IUserDescriptor *user, INode *daliNode, const char *remotePrefix)
 {
-    if (!remote)
+    if (!daliNode)
         return NULL;
     StringBuffer remoteLFN;
     if (remotePrefix && *remotePrefix)
         remoteLFN.append(remotePrefix).append("::").append(logicalName);
-    return queryDistributedFileDirectory().getFileTree(remoteLFN.length() ? remoteLFN.str() : logicalName.str(), user, remote, WF_LOOKUP_TIMEOUT, GetFileTreeOpts::none);
+    return queryDistributedFileDirectory().getFileTree(remoteLFN.length() ? remoteLFN.str() : logicalName.str(), user, daliNode, WF_LOOKUP_TIMEOUT, GetFileTreeOpts::none);
 }
 
-IPropertyTree *ReferencedFile::getSpecifiedOrRemoteFileTree(IUserDescriptor *user, INode *remote, const char *remotePrefix)
+IPropertyTree *ReferencedFile::getFileOrProvidedForeignFileTree(IUserDescriptor *user, INode *providedDaliNode, const char *remotePrefix)
 {
     if (daliip.length())
     {
-        Owned<INode> daliNode;
-        daliNode.setown(createINode(daliip));
-        return getRemoteFileTree(user, daliNode, filePrefix);
+        Owned<INode> fileDaliNode;
+        fileDaliNode.setown(createINode(daliip));
+        return getForeignFileTree(user, fileDaliNode, filePrefix);
     }
-    if (!remote)
+    if (!providedDaliNode)
         return NULL;
     StringBuffer remoteLFN;
-    Owned<IPropertyTree> fileTree = getRemoteFileTree(user, remote, remotePrefix);
+    Owned<IPropertyTree> fileTree = getForeignFileTree(user, providedDaliNode, remotePrefix);
     if (!fileTree)
         return NULL;
     StringAttrBuilder daliipText(daliip);
-    remote->endpoint().getEndpointHostText(daliipText);
+    providedDaliNode->endpoint().getEndpointHostText(daliipText);
     filePrefix.set(remotePrefix);
     return fileTree.getClear();
 }
 
-void ReferencedFile::resolveRemote(IUserDescriptor *user, INode *remote, const char *remotePrefix, const char *dstCluster, const char *srcCluster, bool checkLocalFirst, StringArray *subfiles, bool resolveForeign)
+void ReferencedFile::resolveForeign(IUserDescriptor *user, INode *remote, const char *remotePrefix, const char *dstCluster, const char *srcCluster, bool checkLocalFirst, StringArray *subfiles, bool resolveLFNForeign)
 {
     StringArray locations;
     if (!isEmptyString(dstCluster))
         locations.append(dstCluster);
-    resolveRemote(user, remote, remotePrefix, locations, srcCluster, checkLocalFirst, subfiles, resolveForeign);
+    resolveForeign(user, remote, remotePrefix, locations, srcCluster, checkLocalFirst, subfiles, resolveLFNForeign);
 }
-void ReferencedFile::resolveRemote(IUserDescriptor *user, INode *remote, const char *remotePrefix, const StringArray &locations, const char *srcCluster, bool checkLocalFirst, StringArray *subfiles, bool resolveForeign)
+void ReferencedFile::resolveForeign(IUserDescriptor *user, INode *remote, const char *remotePrefix, const StringArray &locations, const char *srcCluster, bool checkLocalFirst, StringArray *subfiles, bool resolveLFNForeign)
 {
-    if ((flags & RefFileForeign) && !resolveForeign && !trackSubFiles)
+    if ((flags & RefFileLFNForeign) && !resolveLFNForeign && !trackSubFiles)
         return;
     if (flags & RefFileInPackage)
         return;
@@ -456,10 +498,12 @@ void ReferencedFile::resolveRemote(IUserDescriptor *user, INode *remote, const c
             return;
         }
     }
-    Owned<IPropertyTree> tree = getSpecifiedOrRemoteFileTree(user, remote, remotePrefix);
+    Owned<IPropertyTree> tree = getFileOrProvidedForeignFileTree(user, remote, remotePrefix);
     if (tree)
     {
-        processRemoteFileTree(tree, srcCluster, subfiles);
+        DBGLOG("RemoteDALI xml");
+        dbglogXML(tree, 1);
+        processForeignFileTree(tree, srcCluster, subfiles);
         return;
     }
     else if (!checkLocalFirst && (!srcCluster || !*srcCluster)) //haven't already checked and not told to use a specific copy
@@ -474,21 +518,89 @@ void ReferencedFile::resolveRemote(IUserDescriptor *user, INode *remote, const c
     DBGLOG("Remote ReferencedFile not found %s [dali=%s, remote=%s, prefix=%s]", logicalName.str(), daliip.get(), remote ? remote->endpoint().getEndpointHostText(dest).str() : nullptr, remotePrefix);
 }
 
-void ReferencedFile::resolve(const StringArray &locations, const char *srcCluster, IUserDescriptor *user, INode *remote, const char *remotePrefix, bool checkLocalFirst, StringArray *subfiles, bool _trackSubFiles, bool resolveForeign)
+
+IPropertyTree *ReferencedFile::getRemoteStorageFileTree(IUserDescriptor *user, const char *remoteStorageName, const char *remotePrefix)
+{
+    VStringBuffer remoteLFN("remote::%s", remoteStorageName);
+    if (remotePrefix && *remotePrefix)
+        remoteLFN.append("::").append(remotePrefix);
+    remoteLFN.append("::").append(logicalName);
+
+    Owned<wsdfs::IDFSFile> dfsFile = wsdfs::lookupDFSFile(remoteLFN.str(), AccessMode::readSequential, INFINITE, wsdfs::keepAliveExpiryFrequency, user);
+    IPropertyTree *tree = (dfsFile) ? dfsFile->queryFileMeta() : nullptr;
+    return tree ? tree->getPropTree("File") : nullptr;
+}
+
+void ReferencedFile::resolveRemote(IUserDescriptor *user, const char *remoteStorageName, const char *remotePrefix, const StringArray &locations, const char *srcCluster, bool checkLocalFirst, StringArray *subfiles, bool resolveLFNForeign)
+{
+    if (isEmptyString(remoteStorageName))
+        return;
+    if ((flags & RefFileLFNForeign) && !resolveLFNForeign && !trackSubFiles)
+        return;
+    if (flags & RefFileInPackage)
+        return;
+    if (noDfsResolution)
+    {
+        flags |= RefFileNotFound;
+        return;
+    }
+    reset();
+    if (checkLocalFirst) //usually means we don't want to overwrite existing file info
+    {
+        Owned<IDistributedFile> df = queryDistributedFileDirectory().lookup(logicalName.str(), user, AccessMode::tbdRead, false, false, nullptr, defaultPrivilegedUser);
+        if(df)
+        {
+            processLocalFileInfo(df, locations, NULL, subfiles);
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+    Owned<IPropertyTree> tree = getRemoteStorageFileTree(user, remoteStorageName, remotePrefix);
+    if (tree)
+    {
+        remoteStorage.set(remoteStorageName);
+        DBGLOG("RemoteStorage xml");
+        dbglogXML(tree, 1);
+        processRemoteFileTree(tree, srcCluster, subfiles);
+        return;
+    }
+    else if (!checkLocalFirst && (!srcCluster || !*srcCluster)) //haven't already checked and not told to use a specific copy
+    {
+        resolveLocal(locations, srcCluster, user, subfiles);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    flags |= RefFileNotFound;
+
+    StringBuffer dest;
+    DBGLOG("RemoteStorage ReferencedFile not found %s [remoteStorage=%s, prefix=%s]", logicalName.str(), remoteStorageName, remotePrefix);
+}
+
+void ReferencedFile::resolveLocalOrRemote(const StringArray &locations, const char *srcCluster, IUserDescriptor *user, const char *remoteStorageName, const char *remotePrefix, bool checkLocalFirst, StringArray *subfiles, bool _trackSubFiles, bool resolveLFNForeign)
+{
+    trackSubFiles = _trackSubFiles;
+    if (!isEmptyString(remoteStorageName))
+        resolveRemote(user, remoteStorageName, remotePrefix, locations, srcCluster, checkLocalFirst, subfiles, resolveLFNForeign);
+    else
+        resolveLocal(locations, srcCluster, user, subfiles);
+}
+
+void ReferencedFile::resolveLocalOrForeign(const StringArray &locations, const char *srcCluster, IUserDescriptor *user, INode *remote, const char *remotePrefix, bool checkLocalFirst, StringArray *subfiles, bool _trackSubFiles, bool resolveLFNForeign)
 {
     trackSubFiles = _trackSubFiles;
     if (daliip.length() || remote)
-        resolveRemote(user, remote, remotePrefix, locations, srcCluster, checkLocalFirst, subfiles, resolveForeign);
+        resolveForeign(user, remote, remotePrefix, locations, srcCluster, checkLocalFirst, subfiles, resolveLFNForeign);
     else
         resolveLocal(locations, srcCluster, user, subfiles);
 }
 
-void ReferencedFile::resolve(const char *dstCluster, const char *srcCluster, IUserDescriptor *user, INode *remote, const char *remotePrefix, bool checkLocalFirst, StringArray *subfiles, bool _trackSubFiles, bool resolveForeign)
+/*
+void ReferencedFile::resolve(const char *dstCluster, const char *srcCluster, IUserDescriptor *user, INode *remote, const char *remotePrefix, bool checkLocalFirst, StringArray *subfiles, bool _trackSubFiles, bool resolveLFNForeign)
 {
     StringArray locations;
     if (!isEmptyString(dstCluster))
         locations.append(dstCluster);
 }
+*/
 
 static void setRoxieClusterPartDiskMapping(const char *clusterName, const char *defaultFolder, const char *defaultReplicateFolder, bool supercopy, IDFUfileSpec *wuFSpecDest, IDFUoptions *wuOptions)
 {
@@ -530,7 +642,7 @@ static void getDefaultDFUName(StringBuffer &dfuQueueName)
 #endif
 }
 
-static void dfuCopy(const IPropertyTree *directories, IDFUWorkUnit *publisherWu, IUserDescriptor *user, const char *sourceLogicalName, const char *destLogicalName, const char *destPlane, const char *srcDali, bool supercopy, bool overwrite, bool preserveCompression, bool nosplit)
+static void dfuCopy(const IPropertyTree *directories, IDFUWorkUnit *publisherWu, IUserDescriptor *user, const char *sourceLogicalName, const char *destLogicalName, const char *destPlane, const char *srcLocation, bool supercopy, bool overwrite, bool preserveCompression, bool nosplit, bool useRemoteStorage)
 {
     if(!publisherWu)
         throw makeStringException(-1, "Failed to create Publisher DFU Workunit.");
@@ -541,23 +653,40 @@ static void dfuCopy(const IPropertyTree *directories, IDFUWorkUnit *publisherWu,
     if(isEmptyString(destPlane))
         throw makeStringException(-1, "Destination node group not specified.");
 
-    PROGLOG("Copy from [%s]  %s to %s", isEmptyString(srcDali) ? "local" : srcDali, sourceLogicalName, destLogicalName);
+    PROGLOG("Copy from %s[%s]  %s to %s", (!isEmptyString(srcLocation) && useRemoteStorage) ? "remote" : "", isEmptyString(srcLocation) ? "local" : srcLocation, sourceLogicalName, destLogicalName);
 
     StringBuffer destFolder, destTitle, defaultFolder, defaultReplicateFolder;
     DfuParseLogicalPath(directories, destLogicalName, destPlane, destFolder, destTitle, defaultFolder, defaultReplicateFolder);
 
     CDfsLogicalFileName logicalName;
     logicalName.set(sourceLogicalName);
-    if (!isEmptyString(srcDali))
+    if (!isEmptyString(srcLocation))
     {
-        SocketEndpoint ep(srcDali);
-        if (ep.isNull())
-            throw MakeStringException(-1, "ReferencedFile Copy %s: cannot resolve SourceDali network IP from %s.", sourceLogicalName, srcDali);
+        if (useRemoteStorage)
+        {
+            StringBuffer remoteSpec;
+            VStringBuffer lfn("remote::%s::", srcLocation);
+            if (logicalName.isRemote())
+                logicalName.getRemoteSpec(remoteSpec, lfn);
+            else
+            {
+                logicalName.clearForeign();
+                logicalName.get(lfn);
+            }
+            logicalName.set(lfn);
+            sourceLogicalName = logicalName.get();
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            SocketEndpoint ep(srcLocation);
+            if (ep.isNull())
+                throw MakeStringException(-1, "ReferencedFile Copy %s: cannot resolve SourceDali network IP from %s.", sourceLogicalName, srcLocation);
 
-        logicalName.setForeign(ep,false);
+            logicalName.setForeign(ep,false);
+        }
     }
-
-    Owned<IDistributedFile> file = queryDistributedFileDirectory().lookup(logicalName, user, AccessMode::tbdRead, false, false, nullptr, defaultPrivilegedUser);
+    //Pass forceAllowForeign=true because: 1. we need backward compatibility of configurations, 2. this may be the only place we want to allow foreiegn (to copy files in)
+    Owned<IDistributedFile> file = wsdfs::lookup(logicalName, user, AccessMode::tbdRead, false, false, nullptr, defaultPrivilegedUser, INFINITE, true);
     if (!file)
         throw MakeStringException(-1, "ReferencedFile failed to find file: %s", logicalName.get());
 
@@ -589,10 +718,13 @@ static void dfuCopy(const IPropertyTree *directories, IDFUWorkUnit *publisherWu,
     IDFUfileSpec *wuFSpecDest = wu->queryUpdateDestination();
     IDFUoptions *wuOptions = wu->queryUpdateOptions();
     wuFSpecSource->setLogicalName(sourceLogicalName);
-    if (!isEmptyString(srcDali))
+    if (!isEmptyString(srcLocation))
     {
-        SocketEndpoint ep(srcDali);
-        wuFSpecSource->setForeignDali(ep);
+        if (!useRemoteStorage)
+        {
+            SocketEndpoint ep(srcLocation);
+            wuFSpecSource->setForeignDali(ep);
+        }
 
         if (user)
         {
@@ -619,9 +751,9 @@ bool ReferencedFile::needsCopying(bool cloneForeign) const
 {
     if ((flags & RefFileCloned) || (flags & RefFileSuper) || (flags & RefFileInPackage))
         return false;
-    if ((flags & RefFileForeign) && !cloneForeign)
+    if ((flags & RefFileLFNForeign) && !cloneForeign)
         return false;
-    if (!(flags & (RefFileRemote | RefFileForeign | RefFileNotOnCluster)))
+    if (!(flags & (RefFileResolvedForeign | RefFileResolvedRemote | RefFileLFNForeign | RefFileLFNRemote | RefFileNotOnCluster)))
         return false;
     return true;
 }
@@ -643,9 +775,9 @@ void ReferencedFile::cloneInfo(const IPropertyTree *directories, IDFUWorkUnit *p
         bool dfucopy = (updateFlags & DFU_UPDATEF_COPY)!=0;
         if (!dfucopy)
             //Whether remote or on a local plane if we get here the file is not on a plane that roxie considers an direct access plane, so if we're in copy data mode the the file will be copied
-            helper->cloneRoxieSubFile(srcLFN, srcCluster, logicalName, dstCluster, filePrefix, redundancy, channelsPerNode, replicateOffset, defReplicateFolder, user, daliip, updateFlags, false);
+            helper->cloneRoxieSubFile(srcLFN, srcCluster, logicalName, dstCluster, filePrefix, redundancy, channelsPerNode, replicateOffset, defReplicateFolder, user, daliip, remoteStorage, updateFlags, false);
         else
-            dfuCopy(directories, publisherWu, user, srcLFN, logicalName, dstCluster, daliip, false, (updateFlags & DFU_UPDATEF_OVERWRITE)!=0, true, false);
+            dfuCopy(directories, publisherWu, user, srcLFN, logicalName, dstCluster, remoteStorage.isEmpty() ? daliip : remoteStorage, false, (updateFlags & DFU_UPDATEF_OVERWRITE)!=0, true, false, !remoteStorage.isEmpty());
 
         flags |= RefFileCloned;
     }
@@ -664,12 +796,12 @@ void ReferencedFile::cloneInfo(const IPropertyTree *directories, IDFUWorkUnit *p
 
 void ReferencedFile::cloneSuperInfo(IDFUWorkUnit *publisherWu, unsigned updateFlags, ReferencedFileList *list, IUserDescriptor *user, INode *remote)
 {
-    if ((flags & RefFileCloned) || (flags & RefFileInPackage) || !(flags & RefFileSuper) || !(flags & RefFileRemote))
+    if ((flags & RefFileCloned) || (flags & RefFileInPackage) || !(flags & RefFileSuper) || !(flags & (RefFileResolvedForeign | RefFileResolvedRemote)))
         return;
 
     try
     {
-        Owned<IPropertyTree> tree = getSpecifiedOrRemoteFileTree(user, remote, NULL);
+        Owned<IPropertyTree> tree = getFileOrProvidedForeignFileTree(user, remote, NULL);
         if (!tree)
             return;
 
@@ -904,7 +1036,7 @@ void ReferencedFileList::addFilesFromWorkUnit(IConstWorkUnit *cw)
     addFilesFromQuery(cw, NULL, NULL);
 }
 
-void ReferencedFileList::resolveSubFiles(StringArray &subfiles, const StringArray &locations, bool checkLocalFirst, bool trackSubFiles, bool resolveForeign)
+void ReferencedFileList::resolveSubFiles(StringArray &subfiles, const StringArray &locations, bool checkLocalFirst, bool trackSubFiles, bool resolveLFNForeign)
 {
     StringArray childSubFiles;
     ForEachItemIn(i, subfiles)
@@ -916,30 +1048,45 @@ void ReferencedFileList::resolveSubFiles(StringArray &subfiles, const StringArra
         Owned<ReferencedFile> file = new ReferencedFile(lfn, NULL, NULL, NULL, true, 0, NULL, false, allowSizeCalc);
         if (file->logicalName.length() && !map.getValue(file->getLogicalName()))
         {
-            file->resolve(locations, srcCluster, user, remote, remotePrefix, checkLocalFirst, &childSubFiles, trackSubFiles, resolveForeign);
+            if (remoteStorage.isEmpty())
+                file->resolveLocalOrForeign(locations, srcCluster, user, remote, remotePrefix, checkLocalFirst, &childSubFiles, trackSubFiles, resolveLFNForeign);
+            else
+                file->resolveLocalOrRemote(locations, srcCluster, user, remoteStorage, remotePrefix, checkLocalFirst, &childSubFiles, trackSubFiles, resolveLFNForeign);
             const char *ln = file->getLogicalName();
             // NOTE: setValue links its parameter
             map.setValue(ln, file);
         }
     }
     if (childSubFiles.length())
-        resolveSubFiles(childSubFiles, locations, checkLocalFirst, trackSubFiles, resolveForeign);
+        resolveSubFiles(childSubFiles, locations, checkLocalFirst, trackSubFiles, resolveLFNForeign);
 }
 
-void ReferencedFileList::resolveFiles(const StringArray &locations, const char *remoteIP, const char *_remotePrefix, const char *_srcCluster, bool checkLocalFirst, bool expandSuperFiles, bool trackSubFiles, bool resolveForeign)
+void ReferencedFileList::resolveFiles(const StringArray &locations, const char *remoteLocation, const char *_remotePrefix, const char *_srcCluster, bool checkLocalFirst, bool expandSuperFiles, bool trackSubFiles, bool resolveLFNForeign, bool useRemoteStorage)
 {
-    remote.setown((remoteIP && *remoteIP) ? createINode(remoteIP, 7070) : NULL);
+    StringArray subfiles;
     srcCluster.set(_srcCluster);
     remotePrefix.set(_remotePrefix);
 
-    StringArray subfiles;
+    if (useRemoteStorage)
+    {
+        if (!user)
+            user.setown(createUserDescriptor());
+        remoteStorage.set(remoteLocation);
+        ReferencedFileIterator files(this);
+        ForEach(files)
+            files.queryObject().resolveLocalOrRemote(locations, srcCluster, user, remoteStorage, remotePrefix, checkLocalFirst, expandSuperFiles ? &subfiles : NULL, trackSubFiles, resolveLFNForeign);
+    }
+    else
     {
+        remote.setown(!isEmptyString(remoteLocation) ? createINode(remoteLocation, 7070) : nullptr);
+
         ReferencedFileIterator files(this);
         ForEach(files)
-            files.queryObject().resolve(locations, srcCluster, user, remote, remotePrefix, checkLocalFirst, expandSuperFiles ? &subfiles : NULL, trackSubFiles, resolveForeign);
+            files.queryObject().resolveLocalOrForeign(locations, srcCluster, user, remote, remotePrefix, checkLocalFirst, expandSuperFiles ? &subfiles : NULL, trackSubFiles, resolveLFNForeign);
     }
+
     if (expandSuperFiles)
-        resolveSubFiles(subfiles, locations, checkLocalFirst, trackSubFiles, resolveForeign);
+        resolveSubFiles(subfiles, locations, checkLocalFirst, trackSubFiles, resolveLFNForeign);
 }
 
 bool ReferencedFileList::filesNeedCopying(bool cloneForeign)
@@ -1031,7 +1178,7 @@ void ReferencedFileList::cloneRelationships()
     ForEach(files)
     {
         ReferencedFile &file = files.queryObject();
-        if (!(file.getFlags() & RefFileRemote))
+        if (!(file.getFlags() & (RefFileResolvedForeign | RefFileResolvedRemote)))
             continue;
         Owned<IFileRelationshipIterator> iter = dir.lookupFileRelationships(file.getLogicalName(), NULL,
             NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, addr.str(), WF_LOOKUP_TIMEOUT);
diff --git a/common/pkgfiles/referencedfilelist.hpp b/common/pkgfiles/referencedfilelist.hpp
index 41c999f0435..3d20b40f7c3 100644
--- a/common/pkgfiles/referencedfilelist.hpp
+++ b/common/pkgfiles/referencedfilelist.hpp
@@ -33,16 +33,18 @@
 #define RefFileIndex          0x0001
 #define RefFileNotOnCluster   0x0002
 #define RefFileNotFound       0x0004
-#define RefFileRemote         0x0008
-#define RefFileForeign        0x0010
-#define RefFileSuper          0x0020
-#define RefSubFile            0x0040
-#define RefFileCopyInfoFailed 0x0080
-#define RefFileCloned         0x0100
-#define RefFileInPackage      0x0200
-#define RefFileNotOnSource    0x0400
-#define RefFileOptional       0x0800 //File referenced in more than one place can be both optional and not optional
-#define RefFileNotOptional    0x1000
+#define RefFileResolvedForeign 0x0008
+#define RefFileResolvedRemote 0x0010
+#define RefFileLFNForeign     0x0020 //LFN was Foreign
+#define RefFileLFNRemote      0x0040 //LFN was remote
+#define RefFileSuper          0x0080
+#define RefSubFile            0x0100
+#define RefFileCopyInfoFailed 0x0200
+#define RefFileCloned         0x0400
+#define RefFileInPackage      0x0800
+#define RefFileNotOnSource    0x1000
+#define RefFileOptional       0x2000 //File referenced in more than one place can be both optional and not optional
+#define RefFileNotOptional    0x4000
 
 
 interface IReferencedFile : extends IInterface
@@ -70,14 +72,14 @@ interface IReferencedFileList : extends IInterface
     virtual void addFiles(StringArray &files)=0;
 
     virtual IReferencedFileIterator *getFiles()=0;
-    virtual void resolveFiles(const StringArray &locations, const char *remoteIP, const char * remotePrefix, const char *srcCluster, bool checkLocalFirst, bool addSubFiles, bool trackSubFiles, bool resolveForeign=false)=0;
+    virtual void resolveFiles(const StringArray &locations, const char *remoteIP, const char * remotePrefix, const char *srcCluster, bool checkLocalFirst, bool addSubFiles, bool trackSubFiles, bool resolveLFNForeign, bool useRemoteStorage)=0;
     virtual void cloneAllInfo(StringBuffer &publisherWuid, const char *dstCluster, unsigned updateFlags, IDFUhelper *helper, bool cloneSuperInfo, bool cloneForeign, unsigned redundancy, unsigned channelsPerNode, int replicateOffset, const char *defRepFolder)=0;
     virtual void cloneFileInfo(StringBuffer &publisherWuid, const char *dstCluster, unsigned updateFlags, IDFUhelper *helper, bool cloneSuperInfo, bool cloneForeign, unsigned redundancy, unsigned channelsPerNode, int replicateOffset, const char *defRepFolder)=0;
     virtual void cloneRelationships()=0;
     virtual void setDfuQueue(const char *dfu_queue) = 0;
 };
 
-extern REFFILES_API const char *skipForeign(const char *name, StringBuffer *ip=NULL);
+extern REFFILES_API const char *skipForeignOrRemote(const char *name, StringBuffer *ip=nullptr, StringBuffer *remote=nullptr);
 
 extern REFFILES_API IReferencedFileList *createReferencedFileList(const char *user, const char *pw, bool allowForeignFiles, bool allowFileSizeCalc, const char *jobname = nullptr);
 extern REFFILES_API IReferencedFileList *createReferencedFileList(IUserDescriptor *userDesc, bool allowForeignFiles, bool allowFileSizeCalc, const char *jobname = nullptr);
diff --git a/dali/datest/datest.cmake b/dali/datest/datest.cmake
index 1f431e66740..99e3a5e1ab4 100644
--- a/dali/datest/datest.cmake
+++ b/dali/datest/datest.cmake
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ include_directories (
          ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/system/jlib
          ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/system/security/shared
          ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/esp/clients/wsdfuaccess
+         ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/esp/clients/ws_dfsclient
          ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/fs/dafsstream
          ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/rtl/include
          ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/rtl/eclrtl
diff --git a/dali/datest/dfuwutest.cmake b/dali/datest/dfuwutest.cmake
index 2896494666d..5bb1d685322 100644
--- a/dali/datest/dfuwutest.cmake
+++ b/dali/datest/dfuwutest.cmake
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ include_directories (
          ./../../system/jlib 
          ./../../common/workunit 
          ../../common/environment 
+         ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/esp/clients/ws_dfsclient
     )
 
 HPCC_ADD_EXECUTABLE ( dfuwutest ${SRCS} )
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ target_link_libraries ( dfuwutest
          dafsclient 
          dalibase 
          dfuwu 
+         ws_dfsclient
     )
 
 if (NOT CONTAINERIZED)
diff --git a/dali/dfu/dfurun.cpp b/dali/dfu/dfurun.cpp
index 46828fdb4c8..c59289d7409 100644
--- a/dali/dfu/dfurun.cpp
+++ b/dali/dfu/dfurun.cpp
@@ -1064,7 +1064,7 @@ class CDFUengine: public CInterface, implements IDFUengine
         }
 
         // first see if target exists (and remove if does and overwrite specified)
-        Owned<IDistributedFile> dfile = wsdfs::lookup(dlfn,ctx.user,AccessMode::tbdWrite,false,false,nullptr,defaultPrivilegedUser,INFINITE);
+        Owned<IDistributedFile> dfile = wsdfs::lookup(dlfn,ctx.user,AccessMode::tbdWrite,false,false,nullptr,defaultPrivilegedUser,INFINITE,false);
         if (dfile) {
             if (!ctx.superoptions->getOverwrite())
                 throw MakeStringException(-1,"Destination file %s already exists",dlfn.get());
@@ -1297,6 +1297,7 @@ class CDFUengine: public CInterface, implements IDFUengine
             Owned<INode> foreigndalinode;
             StringAttr oldRoxiePrefix;
             bool foreigncopy = false;
+            bool remotecopy = false;
             // first check for 'specials' (e.g. multi-cluster keydiff etc)
             switch (cmd) {
             case DFUcmd_copy:
@@ -1311,6 +1312,7 @@ class CDFUengine: public CInterface, implements IDFUengine
                     CDfsLogicalFileName srclfn;
                     if (tmp.length())
                         srclfn.set(tmp.str());
+                    remotecopy = srclfn.isRemote();
                     destination->getLogicalName(tmp.clear());
                     CDfsLogicalFileName dstlfn;
                     if (tmp.length())
@@ -1363,7 +1365,7 @@ class CDFUengine: public CInterface, implements IDFUengine
                     }
                     srcFile.setown(wsdfs::lookup(tmp.str(),userdesc,
                             (cmd==DFUcmd_move)||(cmd==DFUcmd_rename)||((cmd==DFUcmd_copy)&&multiclusterinsert) ? AccessMode::tbdWrite : AccessMode::tbdRead,
-                            false,false,nullptr,true, INFINITE));
+                            false,false,nullptr,true, INFINITE,false));
 
                     if (!srcFile)
                         throw MakeStringException(-1,"Source file %s could not be found",tmp.str());
@@ -1526,7 +1528,7 @@ class CDFUengine: public CInterface, implements IDFUengine
                             }
                             else if (multiclustermerge)
                             {
-                                dstFile.setown(wsdfs::lookup(tmp.str(),userdesc,AccessMode::tbdWrite,false,false,nullptr,defaultPrivilegedUser,INFINITE));
+                                dstFile.setown(wsdfs::lookup(tmp.str(),userdesc,AccessMode::tbdWrite,false,false,nullptr,defaultPrivilegedUser,INFINITE,false));
                                 if (!dstFile)
                                     throw MakeStringException(-1,"Destination for merge %s does not exist",tmp.str());
                                 StringBuffer err;
@@ -1535,7 +1537,7 @@ class CDFUengine: public CInterface, implements IDFUengine
                             }
                             else
                             {
-                                Owned<IDistributedFile> oldfile = wsdfs::lookup(tmp.str(),userdesc,AccessMode::tbdWrite,false,false,nullptr,defaultPrivilegedUser,INFINITE);
+                                Owned<IDistributedFile> oldfile = wsdfs::lookup(tmp.str(),userdesc,AccessMode::tbdWrite,false,false,nullptr,defaultPrivilegedUser,INFINITE,false);
                                 if (oldfile)
                                 {
                                     StringBuffer reason;
@@ -1666,7 +1668,7 @@ class CDFUengine: public CInterface, implements IDFUengine
                                 Audit("COPYDIFF",userdesc,srcName.get(),dstName.get());
                             }
                         }
-                        else if (foreigncopy||auxfdesc)
+                        else if (remotecopy||foreigncopy||auxfdesc)
                         {
                             IFileDescriptor * srcDesc = (auxfdesc.get() ? auxfdesc.get() : srcFdesc.get());
                             fsys.import(srcDesc, dstFile, recovery, recoveryconn, filter, opttree, &feedback, &abortnotify, dfuwuid);
@@ -1741,7 +1743,7 @@ class CDFUengine: public CInterface, implements IDFUengine
                     destination->getLogicalName(toname);
                     if (toname.length()) {
                         unsigned start = msTick();
-                        Owned<IDistributedFile> newfile = wsdfs::lookup(toname.str(),userdesc,AccessMode::tbdWrite,false,false,nullptr,defaultPrivilegedUser,INFINITE);
+                        Owned<IDistributedFile> newfile = wsdfs::lookup(toname.str(),userdesc,AccessMode::tbdWrite,false,false,nullptr,defaultPrivilegedUser,INFINITE,false);
                         if (newfile) {
                             // check for rename into multicluster
                             CDfsLogicalFileName dstlfn;
diff --git a/dali/dfu/dfuutil.cpp b/dali/dfu/dfuutil.cpp
index 85bfc3964c1..877ae05e5ea 100644
--- a/dali/dfu/dfuutil.cpp
+++ b/dali/dfu/dfuutil.cpp
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@
 #include "rmtfile.hpp"
 #include "dfuutil.hpp"
 
+#include "ws_dfsclient.hpp"
+
 // savemap
 // superkey functions
 // (logical) directory functions
@@ -129,6 +131,7 @@ class CFileCloner
 {
 public:
     StringAttr nameprefix;
+    StringAttr remoteStorage;
     Owned<INode> foreigndalinode;
     Linked<IUserDescriptor> userdesc;
     Linked<IUserDescriptor> foreignuserdesc;
@@ -409,33 +412,41 @@ class CFileCloner
     void updateCloneFrom(const char *lfn, IPropertyTree &attrs, IFileDescriptor *srcfdesc, INode *srcdali, const char *srcCluster)
     {
         DBGLOG("updateCloneFrom %s", lfn);
-        if (!srcdali || srcdali->endpoint().isNull())
+        if (remoteStorage.isEmpty() && (!srcdali || srcdali->endpoint().isNull()))
             attrs.setProp("@cloneFromPeerCluster", srcCluster);
         else
         {
+            while(attrs.removeProp("cloneFromGroup"));
+
             StringBuffer s;
-            attrs.setProp("@cloneFrom", srcdali->endpoint().getEndpointHostText(s).str());
+            if (!remoteStorage.isEmpty())
+            {
+                attrs.setProp("@cloneRemote", remoteStorage.str());
+                if (!isEmptyString(srcCluster))
+                    attrs.setProp("@cloneRemoteCluster", srcCluster);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                attrs.setProp("@cloneFrom", srcdali->endpoint().getEndpointHostText(s).str());
+                unsigned numClusters = srcfdesc->numClusters();
+                for (unsigned clusterNum = 0; clusterNum < numClusters; clusterNum++)
+                {
+                    StringBuffer sourceGroup;
+                    srcfdesc->getClusterGroupName(clusterNum, sourceGroup, NULL);
+                    if (srcCluster && *srcCluster && !streq(sourceGroup, srcCluster))
+                        continue;
+                    Owned<IPropertyTree> groupInfo = createPTree("cloneFromGroup");
+                    groupInfo->setProp("@groupName", sourceGroup);
+                    ClusterPartDiskMapSpec &spec = srcfdesc->queryPartDiskMapping(clusterNum);
+                    spec.toProp(groupInfo);
+                    attrs.addPropTree("cloneFromGroup", groupInfo.getClear());
+                }
+            }
             attrs.setProp("@cloneFromDir", srcfdesc->queryDefaultDir());
             if (srcCluster && *srcCluster) //where to copy from has been explicity set to a remote location, don't copy from local sources
                 attrs.setProp("@cloneFromPeerCluster", "-");
             if (prefix.length())
                 attrs.setProp("@cloneFromPrefix", prefix.get());
-
-            while(attrs.removeProp("cloneFromGroup"));
-
-            unsigned numClusters = srcfdesc->numClusters();
-            for (unsigned clusterNum = 0; clusterNum < numClusters; clusterNum++)
-            {
-                StringBuffer sourceGroup;
-                srcfdesc->getClusterGroupName(clusterNum, sourceGroup, NULL);
-                if (srcCluster && *srcCluster && !streq(sourceGroup, srcCluster))
-                    continue;
-                Owned<IPropertyTree> groupInfo = createPTree("cloneFromGroup");
-                groupInfo->setProp("@groupName", sourceGroup);
-                ClusterPartDiskMapSpec &spec = srcfdesc->queryPartDiskMapping(clusterNum);
-                spec.toProp(groupInfo);
-                attrs.addPropTree("cloneFromGroup", groupInfo.getClear());
-            }
         }
     }
     void updateCloneFrom(IDistributedFile *dfile, IFileDescriptor *srcfdesc, INode *srcdali, const char *srcCluster)
@@ -570,6 +581,7 @@ class CFileCloner
                 const char *_cluster2,
                 IUserDescriptor *_userdesc,
                 const char *_foreigndali,
+                const char *_remoteStorage,
                 IUserDescriptor *_foreignuserdesc,
                 const char *_nameprefix,
                 bool _overwrite,
@@ -590,6 +602,8 @@ class CFileCloner
         level = 0;
         if (_foreigndali&&*_foreigndali)
             foreigndalinode.setown(createINode(_foreigndali,DALI_SERVER_PORT));
+        if (_remoteStorage && *_remoteStorage)
+            remoteStorage.set(_remoteStorage);
         fdir = &queryDistributedFileDirectory();
         switch(_clustmap) {
         case DFUcpdm_c_replicated_by_d:
@@ -833,6 +847,8 @@ class CFileCloner
         else
         {
             StringBuffer s;
+            if (checkValueChanged(dfile->queryAttributes().queryProp("@cloneRemote"), remoteStorage.str()))
+                return true;
             if (checkValueChanged(dfile->queryAttributes().queryProp("@cloneFrom"), srcdali->endpoint().getEndpointHostText(s).str()))
                 return true;
             if (checkValueChanged(dfile->queryAttributes().queryProp("@cloneFromDir"), srcfdesc->queryDefaultDir()))
@@ -876,20 +892,44 @@ class CFileCloner
             srcLFN.clearForeign();
             srcdali.setown(createINode(ep));
         }
+
         StringBuffer s;
-        Owned<IPropertyTree> ftree = fdir->getFileTree(srcLFN.get(), foreignuserdesc, srcdali, FOREIGN_DALI_TIMEOUT, GetFileTreeOpts::appendForeign);
-        if (!ftree.get())
-            throw MakeStringException(-1,"Source file %s could not be found in Dali %s",srcLFN.get(), getDaliEndPointStr(srcdali, s));
-        IPropertyTree *attsrc = ftree->queryPropTree("Attr");
-        if (!attsrc)
-            throw MakeStringException(-1,"Attributes for source file %s could not be found in Dali %s",srcLFN.get(), getDaliEndPointStr(srcdali, s));
+        Owned<IPropertyTree> ftree;
+        Owned<IPropertyTree> filePlane;
+        IPropertyTree *attsrc = nullptr;
+        if (remoteStorage || srcLFN.isRemote())
+        {
+            StringBuffer remoteLFN;
+            if (!srcLFN.isRemote())
+                remoteLFN.append("remote::").append(remoteStorage).append("::");
+            srcLFN.get(remoteLFN);
+
+            Owned<wsdfs::IDFSFile> dfsFile = wsdfs::lookupDFSFile(remoteLFN.str(), AccessMode::readSequential, INFINITE, wsdfs::keepAliveExpiryFrequency, foreignuserdesc);
+            IPropertyTree *tree = (dfsFile) ? dfsFile->queryFileMeta() : nullptr;
+            if (tree)
+                ftree.setown(tree->getPropTree("File"));
+            if (!ftree.get())
+                throw MakeStringException(-1,"Source file %s could not be found in Remote Storage", remoteLFN.str()); //remote scope already included in remoteLFN
+            const char *remotePlaneName = ftree->queryProp("@group");
+            VStringBuffer planeXPath("planes[@name=\"%s\"]", remotePlaneName);
+            filePlane.set(dfsFile->queryCommonMeta()->queryPropTree(planeXPath));
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            ftree.setown(fdir->getFileTree(srcLFN.get(), foreignuserdesc, srcdali, FOREIGN_DALI_TIMEOUT, GetFileTreeOpts::appendForeign));
+            if (!ftree.get())
+                throw MakeStringException(-1,"Source file %s could not be found in Dali %s",srcLFN.get(), getDaliEndPointStr(srcdali, s));
+            attsrc = ftree->queryPropTree("Attr");
+            if (!attsrc)
+                throw MakeStringException(-1,"Attributes for source file %s could not be found in Dali %s",srcLFN.get(), getDaliEndPointStr(srcdali, s));
+        }
 
         CDfsLogicalFileName dlfn;
         dlfn.set(destfilename);
         if (!streq(ftree->queryName(),queryDfsXmlBranchName(DXB_File)))
             throw MakeStringException(-1,"Source file %s in Dali %s is not a simple file",filename, getDaliEndPointStr(srcdali, s));
 
-        if (!srcdali.get()||queryCoven().inCoven(srcdali))
+        if (!remoteStorage.length() && (!srcdali.get() || queryCoven().inCoven(srcdali)))
         {
             // if dali is local and filenames same
             if (streq(srcLFN.get(), dlfn.get()))
@@ -1241,7 +1281,7 @@ class CDFUhelper: implements IDFUhelper, public CInterface
                          )
     {
         CFileCloner cloner;
-        cloner.init(cluster1,clustmap,repeattlk,cluster2,userdesc,foreigndali,foreignuserdesc,nameprefix,overwrite,dophysicalcopy);
+        cloner.init(cluster1,clustmap,repeattlk,cluster2,userdesc,foreigndali,nullptr,foreignuserdesc,nameprefix,overwrite,dophysicalcopy);
         CDfsLogicalFileName dlfn;
         cloner.cloneSuperFile(srcname,dlfn);
     }
@@ -1263,7 +1303,7 @@ class CDFUhelper: implements IDFUhelper, public CInterface
     {
         DBGLOG("createSingleFileClone src=%s@%s, dst=%s@%s, prefix=%s, ow=%d, docopy=%d", srcname, srcCluster, dstname, cluster1, prefix, overwrite, dophysicalcopy);
         CFileCloner cloner;
-        cloner.init(cluster1,clustmap,repeattlk,cluster2,userdesc,foreigndali,foreignuserdesc,NULL,overwrite,dophysicalcopy);
+        cloner.init(cluster1,clustmap,repeattlk,cluster2,userdesc,foreigndali,nullptr,foreignuserdesc,NULL,overwrite,dophysicalcopy);
         cloner.srcCluster.set(srcCluster);
         cloner.prefix.set(prefix);
         cloner.cloneFile(srcname,dstname);
@@ -1280,6 +1320,7 @@ class CDFUhelper: implements IDFUhelper, public CInterface
                          const char *defReplicateFolder,
                          IUserDescriptor *userdesc,                // user desc for local dali
                          const char *foreigndali,                  // can be omitted if srcname foreign or local
+                         const char *remoteStorage,                 // can be omitted if srcname remote or local
                          unsigned overwriteFlags,                  // overwrite destination if exists
                          bool dophysicalcopy
                          )
@@ -1288,7 +1329,7 @@ class CDFUhelper: implements IDFUhelper, public CInterface
         CFileCloner cloner;
         // MORE: Would the following be better to ensure files are copied when queries are deployed?
         // bool copyPhysical = isContainerized() && (foreigndali != nullptr);
-        cloner.init(dstCluster, DFUcpdm_c_replicated_by_d, true, NULL, userdesc, foreigndali, NULL, NULL, false, dophysicalcopy);
+        cloner.init(dstCluster, DFUcpdm_c_replicated_by_d, true, NULL, userdesc, foreigndali, remoteStorage, NULL, NULL, false, dophysicalcopy);
         cloner.overwriteFlags = overwriteFlags;
 #ifndef _CONTAINERIZED
         //In containerized mode there is no need to replicate files to the local disks of the roxie cluster - so don't set the special flag
diff --git a/dali/dfu/dfuutil.hpp b/dali/dfu/dfuutil.hpp
index 87321e40bca..b2de7f75d53 100644
--- a/dali/dfu/dfuutil.hpp
+++ b/dali/dfu/dfuutil.hpp
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ interface IDfuFileCopier: extends IInterface
 #define DALI_UPDATEF_PACKAGEMAP     0x0100
 #define DFU_UPDATEF_COPY            0x1000
 #define DFU_UPDATEF_OVERWRITE       0x2000
+#define DFU_UPDATEF_REMOTESTORAGE   0x4000
 
 
 #define DALI_UPDATEF_SUBFILE_MASK (DALI_UPDATEF_REPLACE_FILE | DALI_UPDATEF_CLONE_FROM | DALI_UPDATEF_APPEND_CLUSTER)
@@ -93,6 +94,7 @@ interface IDFUhelper: extends IInterface
                          const char *defReplicateFolder,
                          IUserDescriptor *userdesc,                // user desc for local dali
                          const char *foreigndali,                  // can be omitted if srcname foreign or local
+                         const char *remoteStorage,                  // can be omitted if srcname foreign or local
                          unsigned overwriteFlags,                   // overwrite destination options
                          bool dophysicalcopy
                          ) = 0;
diff --git a/dali/dfu/dfuwu.cmake b/dali/dfu/dfuwu.cmake
index 6f021cf42b0..8f9179de40d 100644
--- a/dali/dfu/dfuwu.cmake
+++ b/dali/dfu/dfuwu.cmake
@@ -53,5 +53,6 @@ target_link_libraries ( dfuwu
          hrpc 
          remote 
          dalibase 
+         ws_dfsclient
     )
 
diff --git a/dali/dfu/dfuwu.cpp b/dali/dfu/dfuwu.cpp
index 205361fe4d8..3e9d0396e12 100644
--- a/dali/dfu/dfuwu.cpp
+++ b/dali/dfu/dfuwu.cpp
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@
 #include "wujobq.hpp"
 #include "dfuutil.hpp"
 
+#include "ws_dfsclient.hpp"
+
 #include "dfuwu.hpp"
 
 #define COPY_WAIT_SECONDS 30
@@ -981,7 +983,7 @@ class CDFUfileSpec: public CLinkedDFUWUchild, implements IDFUfileSpec
                     parent->getPassword(password);
                 }
                 userdesc->set(username.str(),password.str());
-                Owned<IDistributedFile> file = queryDistributedFileDirectory().lookup(lfn,userdesc,AccessMode::tbdRead,false,false,nullptr,defaultPrivilegedUser);
+                Owned<IDistributedFile> file = wsdfs::lookup(lfn,userdesc,AccessMode::tbdRead,false,false,nullptr,defaultPrivilegedUser,INFINITE,false);
                 if (file)
                     return file->getFileDescriptor();
             }
diff --git a/dali/ft/filecopy.cpp b/dali/ft/filecopy.cpp
index ed0f7d2cfc4..7af8139deda 100644
--- a/dali/ft/filecopy.cpp
+++ b/dali/ft/filecopy.cpp
@@ -1488,6 +1488,9 @@ void FileSprayer::calibrateProgress()
 
 void FileSprayer::checkForOverlap()
 {
+    if (distributedSource && distributedSource->isExternal())
+        return;
+
     unsigned num = std::min(sources.ordinality(), targets.ordinality());
 
     for (unsigned idx = 0; idx < num; idx++)
diff --git a/ecl/eclagent/eclagent.cpp b/ecl/eclagent/eclagent.cpp
index 1ca18ca42c4..8ebad9bf6ea 100644
--- a/ecl/eclagent/eclagent.cpp
+++ b/ecl/eclagent/eclagent.cpp
@@ -1441,7 +1441,7 @@ bool EclAgent::fileExists(const char *name)
     StringBuffer lfn;
     expandLogicalName(lfn, name);
 
-    Owned<IDistributedFile> f = wsdfs::lookup(lfn.str(), queryUserDescriptor(), AccessMode::tbdRead, false, false, nullptr, defaultPrivilegedUser, INFINITE);
+    Owned<IDistributedFile> f = wsdfs::lookup(lfn.str(), queryUserDescriptor(), AccessMode::tbdRead, false, false, nullptr, defaultPrivilegedUser, INFINITE, false);
     if (f)
         return true;
     return false;
@@ -2774,7 +2774,7 @@ unsigned __int64 EclAgent::getDatasetHash(const char * logicalName, unsigned __i
         return crc;
     }
 
-    Owned<IDistributedFile> file = wsdfs::lookup(fullname.str(),queryUserDescriptor(), AccessMode::tbdRead, false, false, nullptr, defaultPrivilegedUser, INFINITE);
+    Owned<IDistributedFile> file = wsdfs::lookup(fullname.str(),queryUserDescriptor(), AccessMode::tbdRead, false, false, nullptr, defaultPrivilegedUser, INFINITE, false);
     if (file)
     {
         WorkunitUpdate wu = updateWorkUnit();
@@ -3084,7 +3084,7 @@ void EclAgent::deleteLRUPersists(const char * logicalName, unsigned keep)
                 MilliSleep(PERSIST_LOCK_SLEEP + (getRandom()%PERSIST_LOCK_SLEEP));
                 persistLock.setown(getPersistReadLock(goer));
             }
-            Owned<IDistributedFile> f = wsdfs::lookup(goer, queryUserDescriptor(), AccessMode::tbdWrite, false, false, nullptr, defaultPrivilegedUser, INFINITE);
+            Owned<IDistributedFile> f = wsdfs::lookup(goer, queryUserDescriptor(), AccessMode::tbdWrite, false, false, nullptr, defaultPrivilegedUser, INFINITE, false);
             if (!f)
                 goto restart; // Persist has been deleted since last checked - repeat the whole process
             const char *newAccessTime = f->queryAttributes().queryProp("@accessed");
diff --git a/ecl/eclcc/eclcc.cpp b/ecl/eclcc/eclcc.cpp
index 878b574c332..04bb4042e7e 100644
--- a/ecl/eclcc/eclcc.cpp
+++ b/ecl/eclcc/eclcc.cpp
@@ -2553,7 +2553,7 @@ IHqlExpression *EclCC::lookupDFSlayout(const char *filename, IErrorReceiver &err
         // Look up the file in Dali
         try
         {
-            Owned<IDistributedFile> dfsFile = wsdfs::lookup(filename, udesc, AccessMode::tbdRead, false, false, nullptr, defaultPrivilegedUser, INFINITE);
+            Owned<IDistributedFile> dfsFile = wsdfs::lookup(filename, udesc, AccessMode::tbdRead, false, false, nullptr, defaultPrivilegedUser, INFINITE,false);
             if (dfsFile)
             {
                 const char *recordECL = dfsFile->queryAttributes().queryProp("ECL");
diff --git a/ecl/eclcmd/eclcmd_common.hpp b/ecl/eclcmd/eclcmd_common.hpp
index 9be689fa98f..efb6c7cdceb 100644
--- a/ecl/eclcmd/eclcmd_common.hpp
+++ b/ecl/eclcmd/eclcmd_common.hpp
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ typedef IEclCommand *(*EclCommandFactory)(const char *cmdname);
 #define ECLOPT_OVERWRITE_ENV NULL
 
 #define ECLOPT_DONT_COPY_FILES "--no-files"
+#define ECLOPT_REMOTE_STORAGE "--remote-storage"
 #define ECLOPT_DFU_COPY_FILES "--dfu-copy"
 #define ECLOPT_ONLY_COPY_FILES "--only-copy-files"
 #define ECLOPT_ALLOW_FOREIGN "--allow-foreign"
@@ -457,6 +458,7 @@ class EclCmdOptionsDFU
     template<class TRequest>
     void updateRequest(TRequest *req)
     {
+        req->setRemoteStorage(optRemoteStorage);
         req->setDfuCopyFiles(optDfuCopyFiles);
         req->setDfuQueue(optDfuQueue);
         req->setDfuWait(optDfuWaitSec);
@@ -486,6 +488,8 @@ class EclCmdOptionsDFU
 
     bool match(ArgvIterator &iter)
     {
+        if (iter.matchOption(optRemoteStorage, ECLOPT_REMOTE_STORAGE))
+            return true;
         if (iter.matchFlag(optDfuCopyFiles, ECLOPT_DFU_COPY_FILES))
             return true;
         if (iter.matchOption(optDfuQueue, ECLOPT_DFU_QUEUE))
@@ -505,6 +509,8 @@ class EclCmdOptionsDFU
     void usage()
     {
         fputs(
+            " DFS Options:\n"
+            "   --remote-storage       Use the given remote storage configuration to locate remote files\n"
             " DFU Options:\n"
             "   --dfu-copy             Use DFU to copy files during deployment, not on roxie in the background\n"
             "   --dfu-queue            DFU Queue to use when doing a DFU copy\n"
@@ -520,6 +526,7 @@ class EclCmdOptionsDFU
     }
 public:
     StringAttr optDfuPublisherWuid;
+    StringAttr optRemoteStorage;
     StringAttr optDfuQueue;
     unsigned optDfuWaitSec = 1800; //30 minutes
     bool optDfuCopyFiles = false;
diff --git a/ecl/hthor/hthor.cpp b/ecl/hthor/hthor.cpp
index bcf85f94b94..49013d51712 100644
--- a/ecl/hthor/hthor.cpp
+++ b/ecl/hthor/hthor.cpp
@@ -1105,7 +1105,7 @@ CHThorIndexWriteActivity::CHThorIndexWriteActivity(IAgentContext &_agent, unsign
     expandLogicalFilename(lfn, fname, agent.queryWorkUnit(), agent.queryResolveFilesLocally(), false);
     if (!agent.queryResolveFilesLocally())
     {
-        Owned<IDistributedFile> f = wsdfs::lookup(lfn, agent.queryCodeContext()->queryUserDescriptor(), AccessMode::tbdWrite, false, false, nullptr, defaultNonPrivilegedUser, INFINITE);
+        Owned<IDistributedFile> f = wsdfs::lookup(lfn, agent.queryCodeContext()->queryUserDescriptor(), AccessMode::tbdWrite, false, false, nullptr, defaultNonPrivilegedUser, INFINITE, false);
 
         if (f)
         {
diff --git a/esp/clients/ws_dfsclient/ws_dfsclient.cpp b/esp/clients/ws_dfsclient/ws_dfsclient.cpp
index d622a790210..fd452416ea9 100644
--- a/esp/clients/ws_dfsclient/ws_dfsclient.cpp
+++ b/esp/clients/ws_dfsclient/ws_dfsclient.cpp
@@ -782,14 +782,14 @@ IDistributedFile *lookupLegacyDFSFile(const char *logicalName, AccessMode access
     return createLegacyDFSFile(dfsFile);
 }
 
-IDistributedFile *lookup(CDfsLogicalFileName &lfn, IUserDescriptor *user, AccessMode accessMode, bool hold, bool lockSuperOwner, IDistributedFileTransaction *transaction, bool priviledged, unsigned timeout)
+IDistributedFile *lookup(CDfsLogicalFileName &lfn, IUserDescriptor *user, AccessMode accessMode, bool hold, bool lockSuperOwner, IDistributedFileTransaction *transaction, bool priviledged, unsigned timeout, bool forceAllowForeign)
 {
     bool viaDali = false;
 
     bool isForeign = false;
     try { isForeign = lfn.isForeign(); }
     catch(IException *e) { e->Release(); } // catch and ignore multi lfn case, will be checked later
-    if (isForeign)
+    if (isForeign && !forceAllowForeign)
     {
         // default denied in cloud, allowed in bare-metal
         bool allow = isContainerized() ? false : true;
@@ -825,11 +825,11 @@ IDistributedFile *lookup(CDfsLogicalFileName &lfn, IUserDescriptor *user, Access
     return wsdfs::lookupLegacyDFSFile(lfn.get(), accessMode, timeout, wsdfs::keepAliveExpiryFrequency, user);
 }
 
-IDistributedFile *lookup(const char *logicalFilename, IUserDescriptor *user, AccessMode accessMode, bool hold, bool lockSuperOwner, IDistributedFileTransaction *transaction, bool priviledged, unsigned timeout)
+IDistributedFile *lookup(const char *logicalFilename, IUserDescriptor *user, AccessMode accessMode, bool hold, bool lockSuperOwner, IDistributedFileTransaction *transaction, bool priviledged, unsigned timeout, bool forceAllowForeign)
 {
     CDfsLogicalFileName lfn;
     lfn.set(logicalFilename);
-    return lookup(lfn, user, accessMode, hold, lockSuperOwner, transaction, priviledged, timeout);
+    return lookup(lfn, user, accessMode, hold, lockSuperOwner, transaction, priviledged, timeout, forceAllowForeign);
 }
 
 
@@ -884,7 +884,7 @@ class CLocalOrDistributedFile: implements ILocalOrDistributedFile, public CInter
             if (gotlocal)
             {
                 if (!write && !onlylocal) // MORE - this means the dali access checks not happening... maybe that's ok?
-                    dfile.setown(wsdfs::lookup(lfn, user, accessMode, false, false, nullptr, isPrivilegedUser, INFINITE));
+                    dfile.setown(wsdfs::lookup(lfn, user, accessMode, false, false, nullptr, isPrivilegedUser, INFINITE, false));
                 Owned<IFile> file = getPartFile(0,0);
                 if (file.get())
                 {
@@ -908,7 +908,7 @@ class CLocalOrDistributedFile: implements ILocalOrDistributedFile, public CInter
             }
             else
             {
-                dfile.setown(wsdfs::lookup(lfn, user, accessMode, false, false, nullptr, isPrivilegedUser, INFINITE));
+                dfile.setown(wsdfs::lookup(lfn, user, accessMode, false, false, nullptr, isPrivilegedUser, INFINITE, false));
                 if (dfile.get())
                     return true;
             }
diff --git a/esp/clients/ws_dfsclient/ws_dfsclient.hpp b/esp/clients/ws_dfsclient/ws_dfsclient.hpp
index 0769d0e0634..502d26131d6 100644
--- a/esp/clients/ws_dfsclient/ws_dfsclient.hpp
+++ b/esp/clients/ws_dfsclient/ws_dfsclient.hpp
@@ -51,8 +51,8 @@ WS_DFSCLIENT_API IDFSFile *lookupDFSFile(const char *logicalName, AccessMode acc
 WS_DFSCLIENT_API IDistributedFile *createLegacyDFSFile(IDFSFile *dfsFile);
 WS_DFSCLIENT_API IDistributedFile *lookupLegacyDFSFile(const char *logicalName, AccessMode accessMode, unsigned timeoutSecs, unsigned keepAliveExpiryFrequency, IUserDescriptor *userDesc);
 
-WS_DFSCLIENT_API IDistributedFile *lookup(CDfsLogicalFileName &lfn, IUserDescriptor *user, AccessMode accessMode, bool hold, bool lockSuperOwner, IDistributedFileTransaction *transaction, bool priviledged, unsigned timeout);
-WS_DFSCLIENT_API IDistributedFile *lookup(const char *logicalFilename, IUserDescriptor *user, AccessMode accessMode, bool hold, bool lockSuperOwner, IDistributedFileTransaction *transaction, bool priviledged, unsigned timeout);
+WS_DFSCLIENT_API IDistributedFile *lookup(CDfsLogicalFileName &lfn, IUserDescriptor *user, AccessMode accessMode, bool hold, bool lockSuperOwner, IDistributedFileTransaction *transaction, bool priviledged, unsigned timeout, bool forceAllowForeign);
+WS_DFSCLIENT_API IDistributedFile *lookup(const char *logicalFilename, IUserDescriptor *user, AccessMode accessMode, bool hold, bool lockSuperOwner, IDistributedFileTransaction *transaction, bool priviledged, unsigned timeout, bool forceAllowForeign);
 
 
 } // end of namespace wsdfs
diff --git a/esp/scm/ws_packageprocess.ecm b/esp/scm/ws_packageprocess.ecm
index 91b5f651e84..5e83b6b5178 100644
--- a/esp/scm/ws_packageprocess.ecm
+++ b/esp/scm/ws_packageprocess.ecm
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ ESPrequest AddPackageRequest
     [min_ver("1.05")] bool OnlyCopyFiles(false); //Copies the files needed for the command but doesn't actually complete the command
     [min_ver("1.05")] bool StopIfFilesCopied(false); //Command only completes if no files need copying.  User can run again after DFU Publisher Workunit completes.
     [min_ver("1.06")] string DfuPublisherWuid; //Wuid can be preallocated and then passed in here to use.  Will be created if empty
+    [min_ver("1.06")] string RemoteStorage;
 };
 
 
@@ -84,6 +85,7 @@ ESPrequest CopyPackageMapRequest
     [min_ver("1.05")] bool OnlyCopyFiles(false); //Copies the files needed for the command but doesn't actually complete the command
     [min_ver("1.05")] bool StopIfFilesCopied(false); //Command only completes if no files need copying.  User can run again after DFU Publisher Workunit completes.
     [min_ver("1.06")] string DfuPublisherWuid; //Wuid can be preallocated and then passed in here to use.  Will be created if empty
+    [min_ver("1.06")] string RemoteStorage;
 };
 
 ESPresponse [exceptions_inline] CopyPackageMapResponse
@@ -318,6 +320,7 @@ ESPrequest AddPartToPackageMapRequest
     [min_ver("1.05")] bool OnlyCopyFiles(false); //Copies the files needed for the command but doesn't actually complete the command
     [min_ver("1.05")] bool StopIfFilesCopied(false); //Command only completes if no files need copying.  User can run again after DFU Publisher Workunit completes.
     [min_ver("1.06")] string DfuPublisherWuid; //Wuid can be preallocated and then passed in here to use.  Will be created if empty
+    [min_ver("1.06")] string RemoteStorage;
 };
 
 ESPresponse [exceptions_inline] AddPartToPackageMapResponse
diff --git a/esp/scm/ws_workunits_queryset_req_resp.ecm b/esp/scm/ws_workunits_queryset_req_resp.ecm
index 55d190ac2bf..4e2aa6c5b86 100644
--- a/esp/scm/ws_workunits_queryset_req_resp.ecm
+++ b/esp/scm/ws_workunits_queryset_req_resp.ecm
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ ESPrequest [nil_remove] WURecreateQueryRequest
     [min_ver("1.89")] bool OnlyCopyFiles(false); //Copies the files needed for the command but doesn't actually complete the command
     [min_ver("1.89")] bool StopIfFilesCopied(false); //Command only completes if no files need copying.  User can run again after DFU Publisher Workunit completes.
     [min_ver("1.95")] string DfuPublisherWuid; //Wuid can be preallocated and then passed in here to use.  Will be created if empty
+    [min_ver("1.97")] string RemoteStorage;
 };
 
 ESPresponse [exceptions_inline, nil_remove] WURecreateQueryResponse
@@ -141,6 +142,7 @@ ESPrequest [nil_remove] WUPublishWorkunitRequest
     [min_ver("1.89")] bool OnlyCopyFiles(false); //Copies the files needed for the command but doesn't actually complete the command
     [min_ver("1.89")] bool StopIfFilesCopied(false); //Command only completes if no files need copying.  User can run again after DFU Publisher Workunit completes.
     [min_ver("1.95")] string DfuPublisherWuid; //Wuid can be preallocated and then passed in here to use.  Will be created if empty
+    [min_ver("1.97")] string RemoteStorage;
 };
 
 ESPresponse [exceptions_inline] WUPublishWorkunitResponse
@@ -391,6 +393,7 @@ ESPrequest WUQuerysetImportRequest
     [min_ver("1.89")] bool OnlyCopyFiles(false); //Copies the files needed for the command but doesn't actually complete the command
     [min_ver("1.89")] bool StopIfFilesCopied(false); //Command only completes if no files need copying.  User can run again after DFU Publisher Workunit completes.
     [min_ver("1.95")] string DfuPublisherWuid; //Wuid can be preallocated and then passed in here to use.  Will be created if empty
+    [min_ver("1.97")] string RemoteStorage;
 };
 
 ESPresponse [exceptions_inline] WUQuerysetImportResponse
@@ -478,6 +481,7 @@ ESPrequest [nil_remove] WUQuerySetCopyQueryRequest
     [min_ver("1.89")] bool OnlyCopyFiles(false); //Copies the files needed for the command but doesn't actually complete the command
     [min_ver("1.89")] bool StopIfFilesCopied(false); //Command only completes if no files need copying.  User can run again after DFU Publisher Workunit completes.
     [min_ver("1.95")] string DfuPublisherWuid; //Wuid can be preallocated and then passed in here to use.  Will be created if empty
+    [min_ver("1.97")] string RemoteStorage;
 };
 
 ESPresponse [exceptions_inline] WUQuerySetCopyQueryResponse
@@ -513,6 +517,7 @@ ESPrequest [nil_remove] WUCopyQuerySetRequest
     [min_ver("1.89")] bool OnlyCopyFiles(false); //Copies the files needed for the command but doesn't actually complete the command
     [min_ver("1.89")] bool StopIfFilesCopied(false); //Command only completes if no files need copying.  User can run again after DFU Publisher Workunit completes.
     [min_ver("1.95")] string DfuPublisherWuid; //Wuid can be preallocated and then passed in here to use.  Will be created if empty
+    [min_ver("1.97")] string RemoteStorage;
 };
 
 ESPresponse [exceptions_inline] WUCopyQuerySetResponse
diff --git a/esp/scm/ws_workunits_req_resp.ecm b/esp/scm/ws_workunits_req_resp.ecm
index 145c49376a5..22673090203 100644
--- a/esp/scm/ws_workunits_req_resp.ecm
+++ b/esp/scm/ws_workunits_req_resp.ecm
@@ -1085,6 +1085,7 @@ ESPrequest [nil_remove] WUEclDefinitionActionRequest
     bool OnlyCopyFiles(false); //Copies the files needed for the command but doesn't actually complete the command
     bool StopIfFilesCopied(false); //Command only completes if no files need copying.  User can run again after DFU Publisher Workunit completes.
     [min_ver("1.95")] string DfuPublisherWuid; //Wuid can be preallocated and then passed in here to use.  Will be created if empty
+    [min_ver("1.97")] string RemoteStorage;
 };
 
 ESPresponse [exceptions_inline] WUEclDefinitionActionResponse
diff --git a/esp/services/ws_dfu/CMakeLists.txt b/esp/services/ws_dfu/CMakeLists.txt
index 28bc5ca6dac..ddcfbdd2241 100644
--- a/esp/services/ws_dfu/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/esp/services/ws_dfu/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ include_directories (
          ./../../../common/fileview2
          ./../../bindings/SOAP/xpp
          ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/esp/clients
+         ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/esp/clients/ws_dfsclient
     )
 
 ADD_DEFINITIONS( -D_USRDLL -DWS_DFU_EXPORTS -DWSDFU_API_LOCAL -DWSDFUXREF_API_LOCAL -DESP_SERVICE_WsDfu)
diff --git a/esp/services/ws_fs/ws_fsService.cpp b/esp/services/ws_fs/ws_fsService.cpp
index c46857a3f77..042a955c903 100644
--- a/esp/services/ws_fs/ws_fsService.cpp
+++ b/esp/services/ws_fs/ws_fsService.cpp
@@ -2752,7 +2752,7 @@ bool CFileSprayEx::onCopy(IEspContext &context, IEspCopy &req, IEspCopyResponse
             logicalName.setForeign(ep,false);
         }
 
-        Owned<IDistributedFile> file = wsdfs::lookup(logicalName, udesc, AccessMode::tbdRead, false, false, nullptr, defaultPrivilegedUser, INFINITE);
+        Owned<IDistributedFile> file = wsdfs::lookup(logicalName, udesc, AccessMode::tbdRead, false, false, nullptr, defaultPrivilegedUser, INFINITE, false);
         if (!file)
             throw MakeStringException(ECLWATCH_FILE_NOT_EXIST, "Failed to find file: %s", logicalName.get());
 
diff --git a/esp/services/ws_packageprocess/CMakeLists.txt b/esp/services/ws_packageprocess/CMakeLists.txt
index 059d2d0fa0d..2ae4916d1c8 100644
--- a/esp/services/ws_packageprocess/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/esp/services/ws_packageprocess/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ include_directories (
          ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/common/workunit
          ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/rtl/include
          ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/esp/smc/SMCLib
+         ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/esp/clients/ws_dfsclient
     )
 
 ADD_DEFINITIONS( -D_USRDLL -DWsPackageProcess_API_LOCAL -DFileSpray_API_LOCAL -DWSDFU_API_LOCAL -DESP_SERVICE_WsPackageProcess)
diff --git a/esp/services/ws_packageprocess/ws_packageprocessService.cpp b/esp/services/ws_packageprocess/ws_packageprocessService.cpp
index d8bd6902938..442896cd7a0 100644
--- a/esp/services/ws_packageprocess/ws_packageprocessService.cpp
+++ b/esp/services/ws_packageprocess/ws_packageprocessService.cpp
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ bool isFileKnownOnCluster(const char *logicalname, const char *target, IUserDesc
     return isFileKnownOnCluster(logicalname, clusterInfo, userdesc);
 }
 
-void cloneFileInfoToDali(StringBuffer &publisherWuid, unsigned updateFlags, StringArray &notFound, IPropertyTree *packageMap, const char *lookupDaliIp, IConstWUClusterInfo *dstInfo, const char *srcCluster, const char *remotePrefix, IUserDescriptor* userdesc, bool allowForeignFiles, const char *jobname=nullptr)
+void cloneFileInfoToDali(StringBuffer &publisherWuid, unsigned updateFlags, StringArray &notFound, IPropertyTree *packageMap, const char *remoteLocation, IConstWUClusterInfo *dstInfo, const char *srcCluster, const char *remotePrefix, IUserDescriptor* userdesc, bool allowForeignFiles, const char *jobname=nullptr)
 {
     StringBuffer user;
     StringBuffer password;
@@ -146,14 +146,14 @@ void cloneFileInfoToDali(StringBuffer &publisherWuid, unsigned updateFlags, Stri
     StringBuffer targetPlane; //roxies default plane, where files will be copied if not found in locations
     getRoxieDirectAccessPlanes(locations, targetPlane, clusterName.str(), true);
 
-    wufiles->resolveFiles(locations, lookupDaliIp, remotePrefix, srcCluster, !(updateFlags & (DALI_UPDATEF_REPLACE_FILE | DALI_UPDATEF_CLONE_FROM)), false, false);
+    wufiles->resolveFiles(locations, remoteLocation, remotePrefix, srcCluster, !(updateFlags & (DALI_UPDATEF_REPLACE_FILE | DALI_UPDATEF_CLONE_FROM)), false, false, false, (updateFlags & DFU_UPDATEF_REMOTESTORAGE)!=0);
     wufiles->cloneAllInfo(publisherWuid, targetPlane, updateFlags, helper, true, false, 0, 1, 0, nullptr);
 #else
     StringArray locations;
     SCMStringBuffer processName;
     dstInfo->getRoxieProcess(processName);
     locations.append(processName.str());
-    wufiles->resolveFiles(locations, lookupDaliIp, remotePrefix, srcCluster, !(updateFlags & (DALI_UPDATEF_REPLACE_FILE | DALI_UPDATEF_CLONE_FROM)), false, false);
+    wufiles->resolveFiles(locations, remoteLocation, remotePrefix, srcCluster, !(updateFlags & (DALI_UPDATEF_REPLACE_FILE | DALI_UPDATEF_CLONE_FROM)), false, false, false, (updateFlags & DFU_UPDATEF_REMOTESTORAGE)!=0);
 
     StringBuffer defReplicateFolder;
     getConfigurationDirectory(NULL, "data2", "roxie", processName.str(), defReplicateFolder);
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ class PackageMapUpdater
     IPropertyTree *packageMaps;
     IPropertyTree *pmExisting;
 
-    StringBuffer daliIP;
+    StringBuffer remoteLocation;
     StringBuffer srcCluster;
     StringBuffer prefix;
     StringBuffer pmid;
@@ -331,11 +331,11 @@ class PackageMapUpdater
     }
     void setDerivedDfsLocation(const char *dfsLocation, const char *srcProcess)
     {
-        splitDerivedDfsLocation(dfsLocation, srcCluster, daliIP, prefix, srcProcess, srcProcess, NULL, NULL);
+        splitDerivedDfsLocation(dfsLocation, srcCluster, remoteLocation, prefix, srcProcess, srcProcess, NULL, NULL);
         if (srcCluster.length())
         {
-            if (!validateDataPlaneName(daliIP, srcCluster))
-                throw MakeStringException(PKG_INVALID_CLUSTER_TYPE, "Process cluster %s not found on %s DALI", srcCluster.str(), daliIP.length() ? daliIP.str() : "local");
+            if (!validateDataPlaneName(remoteLocation, srcCluster))
+                throw MakeStringException(PKG_INVALID_CLUSTER_TYPE, "Process cluster %s not found on %s remote", srcCluster.str(), remoteLocation.length() ? remoteLocation.str() : "local");
         }
     }
     void convertExisting()
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ class PackageMapUpdater
         if (isEmptyString(jobname))
             jobname = pmid.str();
         if (!streq(target.get(), "*"))
-            cloneFileInfoToDali(publisherWuid, updateFlags, filesNotFound, pt, daliIP, ensureClusterInfo(), srcCluster, prefix, userdesc, checkFlag(PKGADD_ALLOW_FOREIGN), jobname);
+            cloneFileInfoToDali(publisherWuid, updateFlags, filesNotFound, pt, remoteLocation, ensureClusterInfo(), srcCluster, prefix, userdesc, checkFlag(PKGADD_ALLOW_FOREIGN), jobname);
         else
         {
             CConstWUClusterInfoArray clusters;
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ class PackageMapUpdater
             {
                 IConstWUClusterInfo &cluster = clusters.item(i);
                 if (cluster.getPlatform() == RoxieCluster)
-                    cloneFileInfoToDali(publisherWuid, updateFlags, filesNotFound, pt, daliIP, &cluster, srcCluster, prefix, userdesc, checkFlag(PKGADD_ALLOW_FOREIGN), jobname);
+                    cloneFileInfoToDali(publisherWuid, updateFlags, filesNotFound, pt, remoteLocation, &cluster, srcCluster, prefix, userdesc, checkFlag(PKGADD_ALLOW_FOREIGN), jobname);
             }
         }
     }
@@ -876,9 +876,15 @@ bool CWsPackageProcessEx::onAddPackage(IEspContext &context, IEspAddPackageReque
     updater.setPMID(req.getTarget(), req.getPackageMap(), req.getGlobalScope());
     updater.setProcess(req.getProcess());
     updater.setUser(context.queryUserId(), context.queryPassword(), nullptr);
-    updater.setDerivedDfsLocation(req.getDaliIp(), req.getSourceProcess());
 
     unsigned updateFlags = 0;
+    const char *remoteStr = req.getRemoteStorage();
+    if (!isEmptyString(remoteStr))
+        updateFlags = DFU_UPDATEF_REMOTESTORAGE;
+    else
+        remoteStr = req.getDaliIp();
+    updater.setDerivedDfsLocation(remoteStr, req.getSourceProcess());
+
     if (req.getOverWrite())
         updateFlags |= (DALI_UPDATEF_PACKAGEMAP | DALI_UPDATEF_REPLACE_FILE | DALI_UPDATEF_CLONE_FROM | DALI_UPDATEF_SUPERFILES);
     if (req.getReplacePackageMap())
@@ -947,9 +953,15 @@ bool CWsPackageProcessEx::onCopyPackageMap(IEspContext &context, IEspCopyPackage
 
     updater.setProcess(req.getProcess());
     updater.setUser(context.queryUserId(), context.queryPassword(), &context);
-    updater.setDerivedDfsLocation(req.getDaliIp(), req.getSourceProcess());
 
     unsigned updateFlags = 0;
+    const char *remoteStr = req.getRemoteStorage();
+    if (!isEmptyString(remoteStr))
+        updateFlags = DFU_UPDATEF_REMOTESTORAGE;
+    else
+        remoteStr = req.getDaliIp();
+    updater.setDerivedDfsLocation(remoteStr, req.getSourceProcess());
+
     if (req.getReplacePackageMap())
         updateFlags |= DALI_UPDATEF_PACKAGEMAP;
     if (req.getUpdateCloneFrom())
@@ -1284,7 +1296,7 @@ void CWsPackageProcessEx::validatePackage(IEspContext &context, IEspValidatePack
         pmfiles->addFilesFromPackageMap(mapTree);
         StringArray locations;
         locations.append(process.str());
-        pmfiles->resolveFiles(locations, nullptr, nullptr, nullptr, true, false, false);
+        pmfiles->resolveFiles(locations, nullptr, nullptr, nullptr, true, false, false, false, false);
         Owned<IReferencedFileIterator> files = pmfiles->getFiles();
         ForEach(*files)
         {
@@ -1475,9 +1487,16 @@ bool CWsPackageProcessEx::onAddPartToPackageMap(IEspContext &context, IEspAddPar
     updater.setPMID(req.getTarget(), req.getPackageMap(), req.getGlobalScope());
     updater.setProcess(req.getProcess());
     updater.setUser(context.queryUserId(), context.queryPassword(), nullptr);
-    updater.setDerivedDfsLocation(req.getDaliIp(), req.getSourceProcess());
 
     unsigned updateFlags = 0;
+    const char *remoteStr = req.getRemoteStorage();
+    if (!isEmptyString(remoteStr))
+        updateFlags = DFU_UPDATEF_REMOTESTORAGE;
+    else
+        remoteStr = req.getDaliIp();
+    updater.setDerivedDfsLocation(remoteStr, req.getSourceProcess());
+
+
     if (req.getDeletePrevious())
         updateFlags |= DALI_UPDATEF_PACKAGEMAP;
     if (req.getUpdateCloneFrom())
diff --git a/esp/services/ws_workunits/CMakeLists.txt b/esp/services/ws_workunits/CMakeLists.txt
index 72ebd39a8fa..9356d5d1a41 100644
--- a/esp/services/ws_workunits/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/esp/services/ws_workunits/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ set (    SRCS
          ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/esp/scm/ws_workunits_queryset_req_resp.ecm
          ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/esp/scm/ws_workunits.ecm
          ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/esp/clients/roxiecontrol.cpp
+         ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/esp/clients/ws_dfsclient
          ws_workunitsPlugin.cpp
          ws_workunitsService.cpp
          ws_workunitsService.hpp
@@ -96,6 +97,7 @@ include_directories (
          ./../../smc/SMCLib
          ./../../bindings/SOAP/xpp
          ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/esp/bindings/http/platform
+         ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/esp/clients/ws_dfsclient
          ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/dali/dfu
          ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/dali/ft
          ${HPCC_SOURCE_DIR}/common/wuanalysis
@@ -132,6 +134,7 @@ target_link_libraries ( ws_workunits
          thorhelper
          pkgfiles
          wuanalysis
+         ws_dfsclient
          ${CPPUNIT_LIBRARIES}
          ${COMMON_ESP_SERVICE_LIBS}
     )
diff --git a/esp/services/ws_workunits/ws_workunitsQuerySets.cpp b/esp/services/ws_workunits/ws_workunitsQuerySets.cpp
index 6dd70d3700c..72eb3b87d31 100644
--- a/esp/services/ws_workunits/ws_workunitsQuerySets.cpp
+++ b/esp/services/ws_workunits/ws_workunitsQuerySets.cpp
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ void QueryFilesInUse::loadTarget(IPropertyTree *t, const char *target, unsigned
             return;
         StringArray locations;
         locations.append(process.str());
-        wufiles->resolveFiles(locations, NULL, NULL, NULL, true, true, true, false);
+        wufiles->resolveFiles(locations, NULL, NULL, NULL, true, true, true, false, false);
 
         Owned<IReferencedFileIterator> files = wufiles->getFiles();
         ForEach(*files)
@@ -793,7 +793,7 @@ class QueryFileCopier
         const char * targetPlaneOrGroup = process;
         locations.append(targetPlaneOrGroup);
 #endif
-        files->resolveFiles(locations, remoteIP, remotePrefix, srcCluster, !(updateFlags & (DALI_UPDATEF_REPLACE_FILE | DALI_UPDATEF_CLONE_FROM | DALI_UPDATEF_SUPERFILES)), true, false, true);
+        files->resolveFiles(locations, remoteLocation, remotePrefix, srcCluster, !(updateFlags & (DALI_UPDATEF_REPLACE_FILE | DALI_UPDATEF_CLONE_FROM | DALI_UPDATEF_SUPERFILES)), true, false, true, (updateFlags & DFU_UPDATEF_REMOTESTORAGE));
         Owned<IDFUhelper> helper = createIDFUhelper();
         files->setDfuQueue(dfu_queue);
 #ifdef _CONTAINERIZED
@@ -822,7 +822,7 @@ class QueryFileCopier
     Owned<IReferencedFileList> files;
 
     StringBuffer process;
-    StringAttr remoteIP;
+    StringAttr remoteLocation;
     StringAttr remotePrefix;
     StringAttr srcCluster;
     StringAttr queryname;
@@ -978,9 +978,40 @@ bool CWsWorkunitsEx::onWUPublishWorkunit(IEspContext &context, IEspWUPublishWork
     StringBuffer publisherWuid(req.getDfuPublisherWuid());
     if (!req.getDontCopyFiles())
     {
+        StringBuffer remoteLocation;
+        StringBuffer srcCluster;
+        StringBuffer srcPrefix;
+
+        unsigned updateFlags = 0;
+        const char *remoteStr = req.getRemoteStorage();
+        if (!isEmptyString(remoteStr))
+            updateFlags = DFU_UPDATEF_REMOTESTORAGE;
+        else
+            remoteStr = req.getRemoteDali();
+
+        splitDerivedDfsLocation(remoteStr, srcCluster, remoteLocation, srcPrefix, req.getSourceProcess(),req.getSourceProcess(), NULL, NULL);
+
+        if (srcCluster.length())
+        {
+            if (!validateDataPlaneName(remoteLocation, srcCluster))
+                throw MakeStringException(ECLWATCH_INVALID_CLUSTER_NAME, "Process cluster %s not found on %s remote", srcCluster.str(), remoteLocation.length() ? remoteLocation.str() : "local");
+        }
+        if (req.getUpdateDfs())
+            updateFlags |= (DALI_UPDATEF_SUPERFILES | DALI_UPDATEF_REPLACE_FILE | DALI_UPDATEF_CLONE_FROM);
+        if (req.getUpdateCloneFrom())
+            updateFlags |= DALI_UPDATEF_CLONE_FROM;
+        if (req.getUpdateSuperFiles())
+            updateFlags |= DALI_UPDATEF_SUPERFILES;
+        if (req.getAppendCluster())
+            updateFlags |= DALI_UPDATEF_APPEND_CLUSTER;
+        if (req.getDfuCopyFiles())
+            updateFlags |= DFU_UPDATEF_COPY;
+        if (req.getDfuOverwrite())
+            updateFlags |= DFU_UPDATEF_OVERWRITE;
+
         QueryFileCopier cpr(target);
         cpr.init(context, req.getAllowForeignFiles(), queryName);
-        cpr.remoteIP.set(daliIP);
+        cpr.remoteLocation.set(remoteLocation);
         cpr.remotePrefix.set(srcPrefix);
         cpr.srcCluster.set(srcCluster);
         cpr.queryname.set(queryName);
@@ -2130,17 +2161,25 @@ bool CWsWorkunitsEx::onWURecreateQuery(IEspContext &context, IEspWURecreateQuery
             StringBuffer publisherWuid(req.getDfuPublisherWuid());
             if (!req.getDontCopyFiles())
             {
-                StringBuffer daliIP;
+                StringBuffer remoteLocation;
                 StringBuffer srcCluster;
                 StringBuffer srcPrefix;
-                splitDerivedDfsLocation(req.getRemoteDali(), srcCluster, daliIP, srcPrefix, req.getSourceProcess(),req.getSourceProcess(), NULL, NULL);
+
+                unsigned updateFlags = 0;
+                const char *remoteStr = req.getRemoteStorage();
+                if (!isEmptyString(remoteStr))
+                    updateFlags = DFU_UPDATEF_REMOTESTORAGE;
+                else
+                    remoteStr = req.getRemoteDali();
+
+                splitDerivedDfsLocation(remoteStr, srcCluster, remoteLocation, srcPrefix, req.getSourceProcess(),req.getSourceProcess(), NULL, NULL);
 
                 if (srcCluster.length())
                 {
-                    if (!validateDataPlaneName(daliIP, srcCluster))
-                        throw MakeStringException(ECLWATCH_INVALID_CLUSTER_NAME, "Process cluster %s not found on %s DALI", srcCluster.str(), daliIP.length() ? daliIP.str() : "local");
+                    if (!validateDataPlaneName(remoteLocation, srcCluster))
+                        throw MakeStringException(ECLWATCH_INVALID_CLUSTER_NAME, "Process cluster %s not found on %s remote", srcCluster.str(), remoteLocation.length() ? remoteLocation.str() : "local");
                 }
-                unsigned updateFlags = 0;
+
                 if (req.getUpdateDfs())
                     updateFlags |= (DALI_UPDATEF_SUPERFILES | DALI_UPDATEF_REPLACE_FILE | DALI_UPDATEF_CLONE_FROM);
                 if (req.getUpdateCloneFrom())
@@ -2156,7 +2195,7 @@ bool CWsWorkunitsEx::onWURecreateQuery(IEspContext &context, IEspWURecreateQuery
 
                 QueryFileCopier cpr(target);
                 cpr.init(context, req.getAllowForeignFiles(), srcQueryName);
-                cpr.remoteIP.set(daliIP);
+                cpr.remoteLocation.set(remoteLocation);
                 cpr.remotePrefix.set(srcPrefix);
                 cpr.srcCluster.set(srcCluster);
                 cpr.queryname.set(srcQueryName);
@@ -2568,7 +2607,7 @@ bool CWsWorkunitsEx::getQueryFiles(IEspContext &context, const char* wuid, const
         wufiles->addFilesFromQuery(cw, (ps) ? ps->queryActiveMap(target) : NULL, query);
         StringArray locations;
         locations.append(process.str());
-        wufiles->resolveFiles(locations, NULL, NULL, NULL, true, true, true, true);
+        wufiles->resolveFiles(locations, NULL, NULL, NULL, true, true, true, true, false);
         Owned<IReferencedFileIterator> refFileItr = wufiles->getFiles();
         ForEach(*refFileItr)
         {
@@ -3241,7 +3280,7 @@ class QueryCloner
     {
         if (cloneFilesEnabled)
         {
-            wufiles->resolveFiles(locations, dfsIP, srcPrefix, srcCluster, !(updateFlags & (DALI_UPDATEF_REPLACE_FILE | DALI_UPDATEF_CLONE_FROM)), true, false, true);
+            wufiles->resolveFiles(locations, dfsIP, srcPrefix, srcCluster, !(updateFlags & (DALI_UPDATEF_REPLACE_FILE | DALI_UPDATEF_CLONE_FROM)), true, false, true, false);
             Owned<IDFUhelper> helper = createIDFUhelper();
             Owned <IConstWUClusterInfo> cl = getWUClusterInfoByName(target);
             if (cl)
@@ -3437,11 +3476,25 @@ bool CWsWorkunitsEx::onWUQuerysetCopyQuery(IEspContext &context, IEspWUQuerySetC
     StringBuffer publisherWuid(req.getDfuPublisherWuid());
     if (!req.getDontCopyFiles())
     {
-        StringBuffer daliIP;
+        StringBuffer remoteLocation;
         StringBuffer srcCluster;
         StringBuffer srcPrefix;
-        splitDerivedDfsLocation(req.getDaliServer(), srcCluster, daliIP, srcPrefix, req.getSourceProcess(), req.getSourceProcess(), remoteIP.str(), NULL);
+
         unsigned updateFlags = 0;
+        const char *remoteStr = req.getRemoteStorage();
+        if (!isEmptyString(remoteStr))
+            updateFlags = DFU_UPDATEF_REMOTESTORAGE;
+        else
+            remoteStr = req.getDaliServer();
+
+        splitDerivedDfsLocation(remoteStr, srcCluster, remoteLocation, srcPrefix, req.getSourceProcess(),req.getSourceProcess(), remoteIP.str(), NULL);
+
+        if (srcCluster.length())
+        {
+            if (!validateDataPlaneName(remoteLocation, srcCluster))
+                throw MakeStringException(ECLWATCH_INVALID_CLUSTER_NAME, "Process cluster %s not found on %s remote", srcCluster.str(), remoteLocation.length() ? remoteLocation.str() : "local");
+        }
+
         if (req.getOverwrite())
             updateFlags |= (DALI_UPDATEF_REPLACE_FILE | DALI_UPDATEF_CLONE_FROM | DALI_UPDATEF_SUPERFILES);
         if (req.getUpdateCloneFrom())
@@ -3457,7 +3510,7 @@ bool CWsWorkunitsEx::onWUQuerysetCopyQuery(IEspContext &context, IEspWUQuerySetC
 
         QueryFileCopier cpr(target);
         cpr.init(context, req.getAllowForeignFiles(), targetQueryName);
-        cpr.remoteIP.set(daliIP);
+        cpr.remoteLocation.set(remoteLocation);
         cpr.remotePrefix.set(srcPrefix);
         cpr.srcCluster.set(srcCluster);
         cpr.queryname.set(targetQueryName);
diff --git a/roxie/ccd/ccdcontext.cpp b/roxie/ccd/ccdcontext.cpp
index 0b0ea57de7b..a7de26121a7 100644
--- a/roxie/ccd/ccdcontext.cpp
+++ b/roxie/ccd/ccdcontext.cpp
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ class CRoxieWorkflowMachine : public WorkflowMachine
 
     inline bool fileExists(const char *lfn)
     {
-        Owned<IDistributedFile> f = wsdfs::lookup(lfn, queryUserDescriptor(), AccessMode::readMeta, false, false, nullptr, defaultPrivilegedUser, INFINITE);
+        Owned<IDistributedFile> f = wsdfs::lookup(lfn, queryUserDescriptor(), AccessMode::readMeta, false, false, nullptr, defaultPrivilegedUser, INFINITE, false);
         if (f)
             return true;
         return false;
@@ -767,7 +767,7 @@ class CRoxieWorkflowMachine : public WorkflowMachine
                     MilliSleep(PERSIST_LOCK_SLEEP + (getRandom()%PERSIST_LOCK_SLEEP));
                     persistLock.setown(getPersistReadLock(goer));
                 }
-                Owned<IDistributedFile> f = wsdfs::lookup(goer, queryUserDescriptor(), AccessMode::writeSequential, false, false, nullptr, defaultPrivilegedUser, INFINITE);
+                Owned<IDistributedFile> f = wsdfs::lookup(goer, queryUserDescriptor(), AccessMode::writeSequential, false, false, nullptr, defaultPrivilegedUser, INFINITE, false);
                 if (!f)
                     goto restart; // Persist has been deleted since last checked - repeat the whole process
                 const char *newAccessTime = f->queryAttributes().queryProp("@accessed");
@@ -3856,7 +3856,7 @@ class CRoxieServerContext : public CRoxieContextBase, implements IRoxieServerCon
     {
         StringBuffer fullname;
         expandLogicalFilename(fullname, logicalName, workUnit, false, false);
-        Owned<IDistributedFile> file = wsdfs::lookup(fullname.str(),queryUserDescriptor(),AccessMode::readMeta,false,false,nullptr,defaultPrivilegedUser,INFINITE);
+        Owned<IDistributedFile> file = wsdfs::lookup(fullname.str(),queryUserDescriptor(),AccessMode::readMeta,false,false,nullptr,defaultPrivilegedUser,INFINITE,false);
         if (file)
         {
             WorkunitUpdate wu = updateWorkUnit();
diff --git a/roxie/ccd/ccddali.cpp b/roxie/ccd/ccddali.cpp
index 6465556dd74..770111cb6ae 100644
--- a/roxie/ccd/ccddali.cpp
+++ b/roxie/ccd/ccddali.cpp
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ class CRoxieDaliHelper : implements IRoxieDaliHelper, public CInterface
         return localTree.getClear();
     }
 
-    IFileDescriptor *recreateCloneSource(IFileDescriptor *srcfdesc, const char *destfilename)
+    IFileDescriptor *recreateCloneForeignSource(const char *cloneFrom, IFileDescriptor *srcfdesc, const char *destfilename)
     {
         Owned<IFileDescriptor> dstfdesc = createFileDescriptor(srcfdesc->getProperties());
         // calculate dest dir
@@ -379,7 +379,6 @@ class CRoxieDaliHelper : implements IRoxieDaliHelper, public CInterface
                 dstfdesc->queryPart(pn)->queryProperties().setProp("@modified",dates.str());
         }
 
-        const char *cloneFrom = srcfdesc->queryProperties().queryProp("@cloneFrom");
         Owned<IPropertyTreeIterator> groups = srcfdesc->queryProperties().getElements("cloneFromGroup");
         ForEach(*groups)
         {
@@ -576,29 +575,61 @@ class CRoxieDaliHelper : implements IRoxieDaliHelper, public CInterface
         return ret.getClear();
     }
 
-    IFileDescriptor *checkClonedFromRemote(const char *_lfn, IFileDescriptor *fdesc, bool cacheIt, bool isPrivilegedUser)
+    IFileDescriptor *checkClonedFromRemoteStorage(const char *cloneRemote, const char *_lfn, IFileDescriptor *fdesc, bool cacheIt, bool isPrivilegedUser)
     {
-        // NOTE - we rely on the fact that  queryNamedGroupStore().lookup caches results,to avoid excessive load on remote dali
-        if (_lfn && !strnicmp(_lfn, "foreign", 7)) //if need to support dali hopping should add each remote location
-            return NULL;
-        if (!fdesc)
-            return NULL;
-        const char *cloneFrom = fdesc->queryProperties().queryProp("@cloneFrom");
-        if (!cloneFrom)
-            return NULL;
-        StringBuffer foreignLfn("foreign::");
-        foreignLfn.append(cloneFrom);
+        StringBuffer remoteLfn;
+        remoteLfn.append("remote::").append(cloneRemote);
+        const char *cloneFromPrefix = fdesc->queryProperties().queryProp("@cloneFromPrefix");
+        if (cloneFromPrefix && *cloneFromPrefix)
+            remoteLfn.append("::").append(cloneFromPrefix);
+        remoteLfn.append("::").append(_lfn);
+        const char *cloneRemoteCluster = fdesc->queryProperties().queryProp("@cloneRemoteCluster");
+        if (!isEmptyString(cloneRemoteCluster))
+            remoteLfn.append("@").append(cloneRemoteCluster);
+
+        try
+        {
+            //Treat remote storage files a bit differently then foreign DALI files for now.  For foreign DALI, we try to recreate the DistributedFile without contacting DALI.
+            //  This is to prevent DALI traffic. We may want to optimize remote storage access differently over time.  For example improved caching in the DFS service which may
+            //  scale better than DALI.  Anyway, just go through DFS for now, and we can optimize once you understand the usage pattern better
+
+            if (traceLevel > 1)
+                DBGLOG("checkClonedFromRemoteStorage: Resolving %s from remote storage", _lfn);
+            Owned<IDistributedFile> cloneFile = resolveLFN(remoteLfn, cacheIt, AccessMode::readRandom, isPrivilegedUser);
+            if (cloneFile)
+            {
+                Owned<IFileDescriptor> cloneFDesc = cloneFile->getFileDescriptor();
+                if (cloneFDesc->numParts()==fdesc->numParts())
+                    return cloneFDesc.getClear();
+
+                DBGLOG(ROXIE_MISMATCH, "File local metadata (%s numParts %d) vs cloneRemote(%s numParts %d) mismatch", _lfn, fdesc->numParts(), cloneRemote, cloneFDesc->numParts());
+            }
+        }
+        catch (IException *E)
+        {
+            if (traceLevel > 3)
+                EXCLOG(E);
+            E->Release();  // Any failure means act as if no remote info
+        }
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    IFileDescriptor *checkClonedFromForeignDali(const char *cloneFrom, const char *_lfn, IFileDescriptor *fdesc, bool cacheIt, bool isPrivilegedUser)
+    {
+        StringBuffer foreignLfn;
+        foreignLfn.append("foreign::").append(cloneFrom);
         const char *cloneFromPrefix = fdesc->queryProperties().queryProp("@cloneFromPrefix");
         if (cloneFromPrefix && *cloneFromPrefix)
             foreignLfn.append("::").append(cloneFromPrefix);
         foreignLfn.append("::").append(_lfn);
+
         if (!connected())
             return resolveCachedLFN(foreignLfn);  // Note - cache only used when no dali connection available
         try
         {
             if (fdesc->queryProperties().hasProp("cloneFromGroup") && fdesc->queryProperties().hasProp("@cloneFromDir"))
             {
-                Owned<IFileDescriptor> ret = recreateCloneSource(fdesc, _lfn);
+                Owned<IFileDescriptor> ret = recreateCloneForeignSource(cloneFrom, fdesc, _lfn);
                 if (cacheIt)
                     cacheFileDescriptor(foreignLfn, ret);
                 return ret.getClear();
@@ -606,7 +637,7 @@ class CRoxieDaliHelper : implements IRoxieDaliHelper, public CInterface
             else // Legacy mode - recently cloned files should have the extra info
             {
                 if (doTrace(traceRoxieFiles))
-                    DBGLOG("checkClonedFromRemote: Resolving %s in legacy mode", _lfn);
+                    DBGLOG("checkClonedFromForeignDali: Resolving %s in legacy mode", _lfn);
                 Owned<IDistributedFile> cloneFile = resolveLFN(foreignLfn, cacheIt, AccessMode::readRandom, isPrivilegedUser);
                 if (cloneFile)
                 {
@@ -627,6 +658,22 @@ class CRoxieDaliHelper : implements IRoxieDaliHelper, public CInterface
         return NULL;
     }
 
+    IFileDescriptor *checkClonedFromRemote(const char *_lfn, IFileDescriptor *fdesc, bool cacheIt, bool isPrivilegedUser)
+    {
+        if (!fdesc)
+            return NULL;
+        if (_lfn && (strnicmp(_lfn, "foreign", 7)==0 || strnicmp(_lfn, "remote", 6)==0)) //if need to support dali hopping should add each remote location
+            return NULL;
+
+        const char *cloneRemote = fdesc->queryProperties().queryProp("@cloneRemote");
+        if (!isEmptyString(cloneRemote))
+            return checkClonedFromRemoteStorage(cloneRemote, _lfn, fdesc, cacheIt, isPrivilegedUser);
+        const char *cloneFrom = fdesc->queryProperties().queryProp("@cloneFrom");
+        if (!isEmptyString(cloneFrom))
+           return checkClonedFromForeignDali(cloneFrom, _lfn, fdesc, cacheIt, isPrivilegedUser);
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+
     virtual IDistributedFile *resolveLFN(const char *logicalName, bool cacheIt, AccessMode accessMode, bool isPrivilegedUser)
     {
         if (isConnected)
@@ -634,7 +681,7 @@ class CRoxieDaliHelper : implements IRoxieDaliHelper, public CInterface
             unsigned start = msTick();
             CDfsLogicalFileName lfn;
             lfn.set(logicalName);
-            Owned<IDistributedFile> dfsFile = wsdfs::lookup(lfn, userdesc.get(), accessMode, cacheIt,false,nullptr,isPrivilegedUser,INFINITE);
+            Owned<IDistributedFile> dfsFile = wsdfs::lookup(lfn, userdesc.get(), accessMode, cacheIt,false,nullptr,isPrivilegedUser,INFINITE,false);
             if (dfsFile)
             {
                 IDistributedSuperFile *super = dfsFile->querySuperFile();
diff --git a/thorlcr/mfilemanager/thmfilemanager.cpp b/thorlcr/mfilemanager/thmfilemanager.cpp
index 14c3968691c..3c11d8c9038 100644
--- a/thorlcr/mfilemanager/thmfilemanager.cpp
+++ b/thorlcr/mfilemanager/thmfilemanager.cpp
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ class CFileManager : public CSimpleInterface, implements IThorFileManager
     {
         auto func = [&job, &lfn, accessMode, privilegedUser](unsigned timeout)
         {
-            return wsdfs::lookup(lfn, job.queryUserDescriptor(), accessMode, false, false, nullptr, privilegedUser, timeout);
+            return wsdfs::lookup(lfn, job.queryUserDescriptor(), accessMode, false, false, nullptr, privilegedUser, timeout, false);
         };
 
         VStringBuffer blockedMsg("lock file '%s' for %s access", lfn.get(), isWrite(accessMode) ? "WRITE" : "READ");