Method and apparatus for providing caching service in network infrastructure

An system, comprising:

• a network infrastructure using a cache server, a cache controller, and a switch;
• and
• computer-executable program logic encoded in memory of one or more computers enabled to manage providing caching services using the network infrastructure, wherein the computer-executable program logic is configured for the execution of:
• in response to at least one application node accessing data in a storage node, caching a copy of the data in the cache server;
• wherein the cache controller is enabled to direct the switch to send the copy of the data to the cache server;
• wherein the cache controller and the cache server are enabled to be deactivated without impact to the application node accessing data in the storage node;
• in response to the at least one application node accessing the data in the storage node, obtaining an identifier indicating whether the data in the storage node is valid or not;
• and
• in response to the identifier indicating the data in the storage node is valid, returning the copy;
• wherein the identifier is set through the steps of:
• periodically sending a query request to the source address for querying whether the data in the storage node has been updated or not;
• and
• in response to the data in the storage node having been updated, setting the identifier as invalid;
• wherein the at least one application node and the storage node are connected via the network infrastructure, and the cache server is coupled to a switch in the network infrastructure;
• and
• storing a source address of the data in the cache server.