Patent ID: 8543768

Claim:
A storage sub-system forming a level of a hierarchical memory system, the storage sub-system comprising: a cache memory comprising a plurality of storage locations and supporting multiple outstanding requests associated with a value stored in a unique one of the plurality of storage locations specified by an address contained within the request, wherein the cache memory moves the value specified by the address and provided in a response along with the address to a predetermined one of the plurality of storage locations that is coupled to an external interface via which the value can be accessed, whereby the value is uniquely stored in the predetermined one of the plurality of storage locations and is no longer accessible at the unique one of the plurality of storage locations and wherein the cache memory moves the value to the predetermined location in a time period determined by the proximity of the value to the predetermined location, whereby the multiple outstanding requests are satisfied out-of-order; an issue table for tracking the multiple outstanding requests in an order of their receipt by the cache memory; and control logic for controlling the application of the multiple outstanding requests to the value stored in the predetermined location, whereby an order of completion of the multiple outstanding requests is controlled according to the order of their receipt by the cache memory.