Which statement about caching in storage networks is true?

Which statement about caching in storage networks is true?

• A. It reduces latency for read operations
• B. It increases CPU usage always
• C. It only works on NVMe
• D. It replaces physical disks

Answer: (A)

Caching in storage networks speeds up data access by keeping frequently requested data in a faster storage tier so reads can be fulfilled quickly without going to slower underlying disks. When the needed data is already in the cache (a cache hit), the read completes with much lower latency, improving response times and overall throughput. If a read misses the cache, the system fetches the data from the slower storage and may store it in the cache for future accesses, balancing occasional misses with quicker future hits. This behavior isn’t limited to a single medium like NVMe; caches can reside in different fast layers, such as RAM or SSDs, and support access across various storage devices. Caching doesn’t replace physical disks; it sits in front of them to accelerate access. While cache management does incur some CPU work, it doesn’t imply CPU usage will always rise; the primary measurable benefit is reduced read latency and improved performance.

Caching in storage networks speeds up data access by keeping frequently requested data in a faster storage tier so reads can be fulfilled quickly without going to slower underlying disks. When the needed data is already in the cache (a cache hit), the read completes with much lower latency, improving response times and overall throughput. If a read misses the cache, the system fetches the data from the slower storage and may store it in the cache for future accesses, balancing occasional misses with quicker future hits.

This behavior isn’t limited to a single medium like NVMe; caches can reside in different fast layers, such as RAM or SSDs, and support access across various storage devices. Caching doesn’t replace physical disks; it sits in front of them to accelerate access. While cache management does incur some CPU work, it doesn’t imply CPU usage will always rise; the primary measurable benefit is reduced read latency and improved performance.