System and method for inquiry caching in a storage area network

摘要

A system and method for servicing an inquiry command from a host device requesting inquiry data about a sequential device on a storage area network. The inquiry data may be cached by a circuitry coupled to the host device and the sequential device. The circuitry may reside in a router. In some embodiments, depending upon whether the sequential device is available to process the inquiry command, the circuitry may forward the inquiry command to the sequential device or process the inquiry command itself, utilizing a cached version of the inquiry data. The cached version may include information indicating that the sequential device is not available. In some embodiments, regardless whether the sequential device is available, the circuitry may process the inquiry command and return the inquiry data from a cache memory.