Patent ID: 7275134
Filing Date: 2007-09-25
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A cache storage system for communicably coupling a host computing device to a switched packet network, the cache storage system comprising: a small computer system interface (SCSI) that facilitates system communication with the host computing device; a network interface that facilitates system communication with the switched packet network; a processing unit that facilitates communication between the SCSI and the network interface, the processing unit comprising a processor and a buffer; a log disk coupled to the processing unit, wherein the log disk and the buffer are configured as a two-level hierarchical cache such that least recently used data in the buffer is transferred to the log disk before more recently accessed data is stored in the buffer, the data being transferred from the buffer to the log disk when one of: the amount of data in the buffer exceeds a threshold value or the log disk is idle; and a storage device that receives data from and provides data to the two-level hierarchical caches, wherein in the event that the amount of data in the log disk exceeds the threshold value, a portion of the data is transferred from the log disk to a remote cache storage system coupled to the switched packet network via the network interface.