Systems and methods for performing storage operations in a computer network

A system for performing a storage operation on data in a computer network, the system comprising:

• a plurality of storage devices;
• a plurality of modules, each of which communicates with at least two of the plurality of storage devices and at least two of a plurality of client devices, wherein each of the plurality of modules has an index cache associated therewith, and wherein each index cache associates at least one of the plurality of the modules with at least one of the plurality of storage devices;
• and
• a storage manager module that selects at least one of the plurality of modules to manage a storage operation and at least one of the plurality of storage devices to associate with the storage operation, wherein information about the performance of the storage operation is stored in the index cache associated with the selected at least one of the plurality of modules.

A system for performing a storage operation on data in a computer network, the system comprising:

• a plurality of storage devices;
• a plurality of means for performing a storage operation, each of said performing means communicating with at least two of the plurality of storage devices and at least two of a plurality of client devices, wherein each of the performing means has an index cache associated therewith, wherein each index cache associates a respective client device with at least one of the plurality of storage devices;
• and
• means for selecting according to a first selection logic one of said plurality of performing means to manage a storage operation, and for selecting at least one of the plurality of storage devices to associate with the storage operation, wherein information about the performance of the storage operation is stored in the index cache associated with the selected at least one of the plurality of client devices.