Abstract: A multiple client memory arbitration system to arbitrate client access to a single cache memory in an I/O controller device having at least one internal client in addition to the possibility of at least one external client. The system includes an arbitrator, the ability to determine a configuration type for the I/O controller device selected from a group of configuration types consisting of an unknown device configuration, single device configuration, multiple device master configuration, and multiple device slave configuration, the ability to configure the arbitration device based on a configuration type, the ability to refresh the cache memory independent of the configuration type, and the ability to execute failover control of the cache memory in an event of an I/O controller device failure in a multiple arbitration device configuration.