System and method for accessing and managing key-value data over networks

A method of storing key-value (KV) data, comprising:

• determining, by a first processor of a computing node, first information on an access characteristic of a first key-value pair;
• sending, by the first processor, the first key-value pair and the first information to a storage device via the network using a layer 2 protocol;
• receiving, by a second processor of the storage device, the first key-value pair and the first information;
• determining, by the second processor and based on the first information, a first location in non-volatile memory at the storage device, and
• storing, by the second processor, KV data corresponding to the first key-value pair at the first location of the non-volatile memory.

A method of communicating key-value (KV) data via a network, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a first processor of a first device in the network, a key-value pair containing KV data;
• determining, by the first processor, a key-value based command for managing the key-value pair;
• encapsulating, by the first processor, the key-value pair and the key-value based command together in a common payload portion of a packet;
• and
• sending, by the first processor, the packet having the payload with the encapsulated key-value pair and the key-value based command to a second device in the network.