diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/http/HttpAlfrescoContentReader.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/http/HttpAlfrescoContentReader.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9f28b0ab1a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/http/HttpAlfrescoContentReader.java
@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2005-2007 Alfresco Software Limited.
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
+ * as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
+ * of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA.
+
+ * As a special exception to the terms and conditions of version 2.0 of 
+ * the GPL, you may redistribute this Program in connection with Free/Libre 
+ * and Open Source Software ("FLOSS") applications as described in Alfresco's 
+ * FLOSS exception.  You should have recieved a copy of the text describing 
+ * the FLOSS exception, and it is also available here: 
+ * http://www.alfresco.com/legal/licensing"
+ */
+package org.alfresco.repo.content.http;
+
+import java.nio.channels.ReadableByteChannel;
+import java.text.MessageFormat;
+
+import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletResponse;
+
+import net.sf.acegisecurity.Authentication;
+
+import org.alfresco.error.AlfrescoRuntimeException;
+import org.alfresco.repo.content.AbstractContentReader;
+import org.alfresco.repo.security.authentication.AuthenticationComponent;
+import org.alfresco.repo.security.authentication.AuthenticationUtil;
+import org.alfresco.repo.security.authentication.TicketComponent;
+import org.alfresco.service.cmr.repository.ContentIOException;
+import org.alfresco.service.cmr.repository.ContentReader;
+import org.alfresco.service.cmr.security.AuthenticationService;
+import org.apache.commons.httpclient.HttpClient;
+import org.apache.commons.httpclient.HttpException;
+import org.apache.commons.httpclient.methods.GetMethod;
+
+/**
+ * The reader that does the actual communication with the Alfresco HTTP
+ * application.
+ * 
+ * @see HttpAlfrescoStore
+ * @since 2.1
+ * @author Derek Hulley
+ */
+public class HttpAlfrescoContentReader extends AbstractContentReader
+{
+    private static final String DEFAULT_URL  = "{0}/dr?contentUrl={1}?ticket={2}";
+    private static final String INFO_ONLY = "?infoOnly=true";
+
+    AuthenticationService authenticationService;
+    AuthenticationComponent authenticationComponent;
+    private String baseHttpUrl;
+    private String contentUrl;
+    // Helpers
+    private HttpClient httpClient;
+    
+    public HttpAlfrescoContentReader(
+            AuthenticationService authenticationService,
+            AuthenticationComponent authenticationComponent,
+            String baseHttpUrl,
+            String contentUrl)
+    {
+        super(contentUrl);
+        this.authenticationService = authenticationService;
+        this.authenticationComponent = authenticationComponent;
+        this.baseHttpUrl = baseHttpUrl;
+        this.contentUrl = contentUrl;
+        // Helpers
+        this.httpClient = new HttpClient();
+    }
+    
+    @Override
+    public String toString()
+    {
+        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder(100);
+        sb.append("HttpAlfrescoContentReader")
+          .append("[ contentUrl=").append(getContentUrl())
+          .append("]");
+        return sb.toString();
+    }
+    
+    public boolean exists()
+    {
+        // Authenticate as the system user for the call
+        Authentication authentication = null;
+        GetMethod method = null;
+        try
+        {
+            authenticationComponent.setSystemUserAsCurrentUser();
+            String ticket = authenticationService.getCurrentTicket();
+            String url = HttpAlfrescoContentReader.generateURL(baseHttpUrl, contentUrl, ticket, true);
+
+            method = new GetMethod(url);
+            int statusCode = httpClient.executeMethod(method);
+            if (statusCode == HttpServletResponse.SC_NO_CONTENT)
+            {
+                return false;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                return true;
+            }
+        }
+        catch (Throwable e)
+        {
+            throw new AlfrescoRuntimeException("Reader exists check failed: " + this);
+        }
+        finally
+        {
+            if (method != null)
+            {
+                try { method.releaseConnection(); } catch (Throwable e) {}
+            }
+            authenticationComponent.setCurrentAuthentication(authentication);
+        }
+    }
+
+    public long getLastModified()
+    {
+        throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
+    }
+
+    public long getSize()
+    {
+        throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
+    }
+    
+    @Override
+    protected ContentReader createReader() throws ContentIOException
+    {
+        throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    protected ReadableByteChannel getDirectReadableChannel() throws ContentIOException
+    {
+        throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Helper to generate a URL based on the ContentStore URL and ticket.
+     * 
+     * @param baseHttpUrl   the first part of the URL pointing to the Alfresoc Web Application
+     * @param contentUrl    the content URL - never null
+     * @param ticket        the authentication ticket
+     * @param infoOnly      <tt>true</tt> to add the info-only flag
+     * 
+     * @return              Returns the URL with which to access the servlet
+     */
+    public final static String generateURL(String baseHttpUrl, String contentUrl, String ticket, boolean infoOnly)
+    {
+       String url = MessageFormat.format(
+             DEFAULT_URL,
+             baseHttpUrl, contentUrl, ticket);
+       if (infoOnly)
+       {
+           url += INFO_ONLY;
+       }
+       return url;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/http/HttpAlfrescoStore.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/http/HttpAlfrescoStore.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..03dc7f7a59
--- /dev/null
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/http/HttpAlfrescoStore.java
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2005-2007 Alfresco Software Limited.
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
+ * as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
+ * of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA.
+
+ * As a special exception to the terms and conditions of version 2.0 of 
+ * the GPL, you may redistribute this Program in connection with Free/Libre 
+ * and Open Source Software ("FLOSS") applications as described in Alfresco's 
+ * FLOSS exception.  You should have recieved a copy of the text describing 
+ * the FLOSS exception, and it is also available here: 
+ * http://www.alfresco.com/legal/licensing"
+ */
+package org.alfresco.repo.content.http;
+
+import org.alfresco.repo.content.AbstractContentStore;
+import org.alfresco.repo.security.authentication.AuthenticationComponent;
+import org.alfresco.service.cmr.repository.ContentReader;
+import org.alfresco.service.cmr.security.AuthenticationService;
+
+/**
+ * A read-only store using HTTP to access content from a remote Alfresco application.
+ * <p>
+ * The primary purpose of this component is to allow clustered content sharing without
+ * having to have shared access to the binary data on the various machines.
+ * 
+ * @since 2.1
+ * @author Derek Hulley
+ */
+public class HttpAlfrescoStore extends AbstractContentStore
+{
+    AuthenticationComponent authenticationComponent;
+    AuthenticationService authenticationService;
+    private String baseHttpUrl;
+
+    /**
+     * Default constructor for bean instantiation.
+     */
+    public HttpAlfrescoStore()
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param authenticationComponent       the authentication compoent
+     */
+    public void setAuthenticationComponent(AuthenticationComponent authenticationComponent)
+    {
+        this.authenticationComponent = authenticationComponent;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param authenticationService         used to retrieve authentication ticket
+     */
+    public void setAuthenticationService(AuthenticationService authenticationService)
+    {
+        this.authenticationService = authenticationService;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Set the base HTTP URL of the remote Alfresco application.
+     * 
+     * @param baseHttpUrl       the remote HTTP address including the <b>.../alfresco</b>
+     */
+    public void setBaseHttpUrl(String baseHttpUrl)
+    {
+        if (baseHttpUrl.endsWith("/"))
+        {
+            baseHttpUrl = baseHttpUrl.substring(0, baseHttpUrl.length() - 1);
+        }
+        this.baseHttpUrl = baseHttpUrl;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * This <b>is</b> a read only store.
+     * 
+     * @return                  <tt>false</tt> always
+     */
+    public boolean isWriteSupported()
+    {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * {@inheritDoc}
+     */
+    public ContentReader getReader(String contentUrl)
+    {
+        ContentReader reader = new HttpAlfrescoContentReader(
+                authenticationService,
+                authenticationComponent,
+                baseHttpUrl,
+                contentUrl);
+        return reader;
+    }
+}