Abstract: A network distributed tracking wire transfer protocol for storing and retrieving data across a distributed data collection. The protocol includes a location string for specifying the network location of data associated with an entity in the distributed data collection, and an identification string for specifying the identity of an entity in the distributed data collection. According to the protocol, the length of the location string and the length of the identification string are variable, and an association between an identification string and a location string can be spontaneously and dynamically changed. The network distributed tracking wire transfer protocol is application independent, organizationally independent, and geographically independent. A method for using the protocol in a distributed data collection environment and a system for implementing the protocol are also provided.

Abstract: A storage system is provided that includes storage controller logic that performs rapid data snapshots. The storage controller logic may provide block-level access to a storage volume. The storage controller logic may store all data blocks of the storage volume in a first solid state memory cache. The storage controller logic may form a snapshot of the storage volume in a second solid state memory cache. The first and second solid state memory caches are addressable with a processor. The storage system may complete the snapshot extremely quickly because the processor may copy from one memory location to another between the first and second solid state memory caches.