Abstract: A method for storing data is disclosed. The method comprises receiving a data stream comprising a plurality of data segments and preliminarily checking in a memory having a relatively low latency whether one of the plurality of data segments has been stored previously. The method further comprises in the event that the preliminary check does not conclusively determine whether the data segment has been stored previously, limiting checking in a memory having a relatively high latency to conclusively determine whether the data segment has been previously stored, and in the event that checking is limited or in the event that the check in the memory having relatively high latency conclusively determines the data segment has not been previously stored, storing the data segment.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing efficient data storage. A plurality of data segments is received in a data stream. The system determines whether a data segment has been stored previously in a low latency memory. In the event that the data segment is determined to have been stored previously, an identifier for the previously stored data segment is returned.