Patent ID: 7428611

Claim:
A method of processing an input/output (I/O) request in a computer system comprising a first content addressable storage (CAS) system and a second CAS system that each processes content units using content addresses, wherein the content address for each one of the content units is generated based, at least in part, on content of the one of the content units that is to be provided when the one of the content units is read from one of the CAS systems, the method comprising acts of: (a) receiving the I/O request at the first CAS system, the I/O request seeking access to at least one content unit; (b) determining whether the I/O request is to be processed by the first CAS system or the second CAS system; and (c) when it is determined in the act (b) that the I/O request is to be processed by the second CAS system, forwarding the I/O request to the second CAS system.