Methods and apparatus for accessing data elements using improved hashing techniques

A data storage system has disk drives, memory circuit boards to store a set of hash lists and a cache, and a front-end interface. The front-end interface is configured to receive a data element request including a disk address identifying a set of disk drive locations that stores the data element; perform a hash function on the disk address in order to generate a hash pointer; and provide a search command, the disk address and the generated hash pointer to the memory circuit boards. The memory circuit boards are configured to receive the search command, the disk address, and the hash pointer from the front-end interface; search the set of hash lists based on the hash pointer and the disk address; and provide an indication to the front-end interface indicating whether the set of hash lists includes an entry indicating that the data element resides in cache.