Patent ID: 8874810

Claim:
A storage system comprising: a node of a plurality of nodes for storing information, wherein the node includes an upstream communication buffer; and a master controller for controlling the flow of traffic to the node based upon constraints of the upstream communication buffer such that scheduling of buffered commands through a downstream interface of said master controller on a downstream communication path from said master controller to said plurality of nodes is configured to ensure that buffers of said plurality of nodes are not exceeded by analyzing information sent from said master controller to said plurality of nodes via said downstream interface and by analyzing information received by said master controller from said plurality of nodes over an upstream communication path via an upstream interface, wherein said buffered commands are temporarily stored at said master controller, wherein communication between the master controller and the node has a determined maximum latency; and wherein a plurality of nodes including the node is coupled to the master controller in accordance with a chain memory configuration; and wherein said master controller is configured for tracking a state of a buffer count of said node when performing said analyzing information by decrementing said buffer count when a request that involves a response is forwarded to said node and incrementing said buffer count when a request response is received from said node.