Distributed caching system

Embodiments of a distributed caching system are disclosed that cache data across multiple computing devices on a network. In one embodiment, a first cache system serves as a caching front-end to a distributed cluster of additional cache systems. The first cache system can distribute cache requests to the additional cache systems. The first distributed caching system can also serve as a cache server itself, by storing data on its own internal cache. For example, the first cache system can first attempt to find a requested data item on the internal cache, but, if the lookup results in a cache miss, the first cache system can search the additional cache systems for the data. In some embodiments, the first cache system is configured to multiplex requests to each additional cache system over a single negotiated streaming protocol connection, which allows for network efficiencies and faster detection of failure.