A system and method for increasing the throughput of a directory-based storage system is provided. The storage system includes a data storage system to store data signals, and a directory to store state information for the data signals. Requests issued to the storage system are grouped into sets. The requests within a same set are issued in succession to the data storage system to initiate read and/or write memory operations. At the same time, directory entries are read from the directory for each request in the set. Each directory entry is updated as it is retrieved to reflect the requested memory operation. After all directory entries are retrieved, the updated entries are stored back to the directory in succession so that the bi-directional interface to the directory undergoes only a single direction change during the processing of the set.