Methods and structures for a caching to router in iSCSI storage systems

摘要

Methods and structure for integrating storage caching and network routing features within a single network appliance. One feature hereof provides routing features in a TCP/IP network in combination with block oriented storage caching features. Another feature hereof provides that the caching router may coalesce smaller requests into fewer, larger requests. Such features are particularly useful in iSCSI storage network applications in which low layer block oriented SCSI commands and responses are exchanged over TCP/IP network communication media.