System and Method of Caching Hinted Data

A system for cache management, comprising:

• a host controller in communication with one or more storage devices, the host controller configured to process a data transfer request issued by an initiator;
• a hinting driver configured to receive data packets of the data transfer request being processed by the host controller, and further configured to generate pointers based upon the data packets;
• a priority controller configured to receive the pointers generated by the hinting driver, further configured to determine, based upon the pointers, whether the data packets are associated with a first priority level or a second priority level, and further configured to store the data packets in a cache memory when the data packets are associated with the first priority level, the first priority level being a higher priority than the second priority level;
• and
• a hot spot detector configured to determine whether the data packets satisfy a threshold of data transfer activity when the data packets are associated with the second priority level.

A method of cache management, comprising:

• generating pointers based upon data packets of a data transfer request being processed by a host controller in communication with one or more storage devices;
• determining, based upon the pointers, whether the data packets are associated with a first priority level or a second priority level, the first priority level being a higher priority level than the second priority level;
• and
• storing the data packets in a cache memory when the data packets are associated with the first priority level.