A system and method for servicing inquiry commands, wherein inquiry data
is stored in a memory and if an inquiry command for the target device is
received while the target device is busy processing another command, the
stored inquiry data is returned in response to the command. In one
embodiment, a router contains a memory for storing static inquiry data
corresponding to each of a plurality of sequential devices connected
thereto. The first time a host sends an inquiry command to one of the
sequential devices, the router routes the command to the target device
and stores the data returned by the device. Subsequent inquiry commands
are serviced by passing the command through to the target device if it is
not busy, or returning inquiry data from the router's memory if the
target device is busy processing another command.