diff --git a/docs/storage/cache/cache.go b/docs/storage/cache/cache.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a21cefd57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/storage/cache/cache.go
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+// Package cache provides facilities to speed up access to the storage
+// backend. Typically cache implementations deal with internal implementation
+// details at the backend level, rather than generalized caches for
+// distribution related interfaces. In other words, unless the cache is
+// specific to the storage package, it belongs in another package.
+package cache
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/docker/distribution/digest"
+	"golang.org/x/net/context"
+)
+
+// ErrNotFound is returned when a meta item is not found.
+var ErrNotFound = fmt.Errorf("not found")
+
+// LayerMeta describes the backend location and length of layer data.
+type LayerMeta struct {
+	Path   string
+	Length int64
+}
+
+// LayerInfoCache is a driver-aware cache of layer metadata. Basically, it
+// provides a fast cache for checks against repository metadata, avoiding
+// round trips to backend storage. Note that this is different from a pure
+// layer cache, which would also provide access to backing data, as well. Such
+// a cache should be implemented as a middleware, rather than integrated with
+// the storage backend.
+//
+// Note that most implementations rely on the caller to do strict checks on on
+// repo and dgst arguments, since these are mostly used behind existing
+// implementations.
+type LayerInfoCache interface {
+	// Contains returns true if the repository with name contains the layer.
+	Contains(ctx context.Context, repo string, dgst digest.Digest) (bool, error)
+
+	// Add includes the layer in the given repository cache.
+	Add(ctx context.Context, repo string, dgst digest.Digest) error
+
+	// Meta provides the location of the layer on the backend and its size. Membership of a
+	// repository should be tested before using the result, if required.
+	Meta(ctx context.Context, dgst digest.Digest) (LayerMeta, error)
+
+	// SetMeta sets the meta data for the given layer.
+	SetMeta(ctx context.Context, dgst digest.Digest, meta LayerMeta) error
+}
+
+// base implements common checks between cache implementations. Note that
+// these are not full checks of input, since that should be done by the
+// caller.
+type base struct {
+	LayerInfoCache
+}
+
+func (b *base) Contains(ctx context.Context, repo string, dgst digest.Digest) (bool, error) {
+	if repo == "" {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("cache: cannot check for empty repository name")
+	}
+
+	if dgst == "" {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("cache: cannot check for empty digests")
+	}
+
+	return b.LayerInfoCache.Contains(ctx, repo, dgst)
+}
+
+func (b *base) Add(ctx context.Context, repo string, dgst digest.Digest) error {
+	if repo == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("cache: cannot add empty repository name")
+	}
+
+	if dgst == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("cache: cannot add empty digest")
+	}
+
+	return b.LayerInfoCache.Add(ctx, repo, dgst)
+}
+
+func (b *base) Meta(ctx context.Context, dgst digest.Digest) (LayerMeta, error) {
+	if dgst == "" {
+		return LayerMeta{}, fmt.Errorf("cache: cannot get meta for empty digest")
+	}
+
+	return b.LayerInfoCache.Meta(ctx, dgst)
+}
+
+func (b *base) SetMeta(ctx context.Context, dgst digest.Digest, meta LayerMeta) error {
+	if dgst == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("cache: cannot set meta for empty digest")
+	}
+
+	if meta.Path == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("cache: cannot set empty path for meta")
+	}
+
+	return b.LayerInfoCache.SetMeta(ctx, dgst, meta)
+}
diff --git a/docs/storage/cache/cache_test.go b/docs/storage/cache/cache_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..48cef955e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/storage/cache/cache_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+package cache
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"golang.org/x/net/context"
+)
+
+// checkLayerInfoCache takes a cache implementation through a common set of
+// operations. If adding new tests, please add them here so new
+// implementations get the benefit.
+func checkLayerInfoCache(t *testing.T, lic LayerInfoCache) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	exists, err := lic.Contains(ctx, "", "fake:abc")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected error checking for cache item with empty repo")
+	}
+
+	exists, err = lic.Contains(ctx, "foo/bar", "")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected error checking for cache item with empty digest")
+	}
+
+	exists, err = lic.Contains(ctx, "foo/bar", "fake:abc")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error checking for cache item: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if exists {
+		t.Fatalf("item should not exist")
+	}
+
+	if err := lic.Add(ctx, "", "fake:abc"); err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected error adding cache item with empty name")
+	}
+
+	if err := lic.Add(ctx, "foo/bar", ""); err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected error adding cache item with empty digest")
+	}
+
+	if err := lic.Add(ctx, "foo/bar", "fake:abc"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error adding item: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	exists, err = lic.Contains(ctx, "foo/bar", "fake:abc")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error checking for cache item: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if !exists {
+		t.Fatalf("item should exist")
+	}
+
+	_, err = lic.Meta(ctx, "")
+	if err == nil || err == ErrNotFound {
+		t.Fatalf("expected error getting meta for cache item with empty digest")
+	}
+
+	_, err = lic.Meta(ctx, "fake:abc")
+	if err != ErrNotFound {
+		t.Fatalf("expected unknown layer error getting meta for cache item with empty digest")
+	}
+
+	if err = lic.SetMeta(ctx, "", LayerMeta{}); err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected error setting meta for cache item with empty digest")
+	}
+
+	if err = lic.SetMeta(ctx, "foo/bar", LayerMeta{}); err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected error setting meta for cache item with empty meta")
+	}
+
+	expected := LayerMeta{Path: "/foo/bar", Length: 20}
+	if err := lic.SetMeta(ctx, "foo/bar", expected); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error setting meta: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	meta, err := lic.Meta(ctx, "foo/bar")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error getting meta: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if meta != expected {
+		t.Fatalf("retrieved meta data did not match: %v", err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/docs/storage/cache/memory.go b/docs/storage/cache/memory.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6d9497925
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/storage/cache/memory.go
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+package cache
+
+import (
+	"github.com/docker/distribution/digest"
+	"golang.org/x/net/context"
+)
+
+// inmemoryLayerInfoCache is a map-based implementation of LayerInfoCache.
+type inmemoryLayerInfoCache struct {
+	membership map[string]map[digest.Digest]struct{}
+	meta       map[digest.Digest]LayerMeta
+}
+
+// NewInMemoryLayerInfoCache provides an implementation of LayerInfoCache that
+// stores results in memory.
+func NewInMemoryLayerInfoCache() LayerInfoCache {
+	return &base{&inmemoryLayerInfoCache{
+		membership: make(map[string]map[digest.Digest]struct{}),
+		meta:       make(map[digest.Digest]LayerMeta),
+	}}
+}
+
+func (ilic *inmemoryLayerInfoCache) Contains(ctx context.Context, repo string, dgst digest.Digest) (bool, error) {
+	members, ok := ilic.membership[repo]
+	if !ok {
+		return false, nil
+	}
+
+	_, ok = members[dgst]
+	return ok, nil
+}
+
+// Add adds the layer to the redis repository blob set.
+func (ilic *inmemoryLayerInfoCache) Add(ctx context.Context, repo string, dgst digest.Digest) error {
+	members, ok := ilic.membership[repo]
+	if !ok {
+		members = make(map[digest.Digest]struct{})
+		ilic.membership[repo] = members
+	}
+
+	members[dgst] = struct{}{}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Meta retrieves the layer meta data from the redis hash, returning
+// ErrUnknownLayer if not found.
+func (ilic *inmemoryLayerInfoCache) Meta(ctx context.Context, dgst digest.Digest) (LayerMeta, error) {
+	meta, ok := ilic.meta[dgst]
+	if !ok {
+		return LayerMeta{}, ErrNotFound
+	}
+
+	return meta, nil
+}
+
+// SetMeta sets the meta data for the given digest using a redis hash. A hash
+// is used here since we may store unrelated fields about a layer in the
+// future.
+func (ilic *inmemoryLayerInfoCache) SetMeta(ctx context.Context, dgst digest.Digest, meta LayerMeta) error {
+	ilic.meta[dgst] = meta
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/docs/storage/cache/memory_test.go b/docs/storage/cache/memory_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..417e982e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/storage/cache/memory_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+package cache
+
+import "testing"
+
+// TestInMemoryLayerInfoCache checks the in memory implementation is working
+// correctly.
+func TestInMemoryLayerInfoCache(t *testing.T) {
+	checkLayerInfoCache(t, NewInMemoryLayerInfoCache())
+}
diff --git a/docs/storage/cache/redis.go b/docs/storage/cache/redis.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6b8f7679a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/storage/cache/redis.go
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+package cache
+
+import (
+	ctxu "github.com/docker/distribution/context"
+	"github.com/docker/distribution/digest"
+	"github.com/garyburd/redigo/redis"
+	"golang.org/x/net/context"
+)
+
+// redisLayerInfoCache provides an implementation of storage.LayerInfoCache
+// based on redis. Layer info is stored in two parts. The first provide fast
+// access to repository membership through a redis set for each repo. The
+// second is a redis hash keyed by the digest of the layer, providing path and
+// length information. Note that there is no implied relationship between
+// these two caches. The layer may exist in one, both or none and the code
+// must be written this way.
+type redisLayerInfoCache struct {
+	pool *redis.Pool
+
+	// TODO(stevvooe): We use a pool because we don't have great control over
+	// the cache lifecycle to manage connections. A new connection if fetched
+	// for each operation. Once we have better lifecycle management of the
+	// request objects, we can change this to a connection.
+}
+
+// NewRedisLayerInfoCache returns a new redis-based LayerInfoCache using the
+// provided redis connection pool.
+func NewRedisLayerInfoCache(pool *redis.Pool) LayerInfoCache {
+	return &base{&redisLayerInfoCache{
+		pool: pool,
+	}}
+}
+
+// Contains does a membership check on the repository blob set in redis. This
+// is used as an access check before looking up global path information. If
+// false is returned, the caller should still check the backend to if it
+// exists elsewhere.
+func (rlic *redisLayerInfoCache) Contains(ctx context.Context, repo string, dgst digest.Digest) (bool, error) {
+	conn := rlic.pool.Get()
+	defer conn.Close()
+
+	ctxu.GetLogger(ctx).Debugf("(*redisLayerInfoCache).Contains(%q, %q)", repo, dgst)
+	return redis.Bool(conn.Do("SISMEMBER", rlic.repositoryBlobSetKey(repo), dgst))
+}
+
+// Add adds the layer to the redis repository blob set.
+func (rlic *redisLayerInfoCache) Add(ctx context.Context, repo string, dgst digest.Digest) error {
+	conn := rlic.pool.Get()
+	defer conn.Close()
+
+	ctxu.GetLogger(ctx).Debugf("(*redisLayerInfoCache).Add(%q, %q)", repo, dgst)
+	_, err := conn.Do("SADD", rlic.repositoryBlobSetKey(repo), dgst)
+	return err
+}
+
+// Meta retrieves the layer meta data from the redis hash, returning
+// ErrUnknownLayer if not found.
+func (rlic *redisLayerInfoCache) Meta(ctx context.Context, dgst digest.Digest) (LayerMeta, error) {
+	conn := rlic.pool.Get()
+	defer conn.Close()
+
+	reply, err := redis.Values(conn.Do("HMGET", rlic.blobMetaHashKey(dgst), "path", "length"))
+	if err != nil {
+		return LayerMeta{}, err
+	}
+
+	if len(reply) < 2 || reply[0] == nil || reply[1] == nil {
+		return LayerMeta{}, ErrNotFound
+	}
+
+	var meta LayerMeta
+	if _, err := redis.Scan(reply, &meta.Path, &meta.Length); err != nil {
+		return LayerMeta{}, err
+	}
+
+	return meta, nil
+}
+
+// SetMeta sets the meta data for the given digest using a redis hash. A hash
+// is used here since we may store unrelated fields about a layer in the
+// future.
+func (rlic *redisLayerInfoCache) SetMeta(ctx context.Context, dgst digest.Digest, meta LayerMeta) error {
+	conn := rlic.pool.Get()
+	defer conn.Close()
+
+	_, err := conn.Do("HMSET", rlic.blobMetaHashKey(dgst), "path", meta.Path, "length", meta.Length)
+	return err
+}
+
+// repositoryBlobSetKey returns the key for the blob set in the cache.
+func (rlic *redisLayerInfoCache) repositoryBlobSetKey(repo string) string {
+	return "repository::" + repo + "::blobs"
+}
+
+// blobMetaHashKey returns the cache key for immutable blob meta data.
+func (rlic *redisLayerInfoCache) blobMetaHashKey(dgst digest.Digest) string {
+	return "blobs::" + dgst.String()
+}
diff --git a/docs/storage/cache/redis_test.go b/docs/storage/cache/redis_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7422a7ebb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/storage/cache/redis_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+package cache
+
+import (
+	"flag"
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/garyburd/redigo/redis"
+)
+
+var redisAddr string
+
+func init() {
+	flag.StringVar(&redisAddr, "test.registry.storage.cache.redis.addr", "", "configure the address of a test instance of redis")
+}
+
+// TestRedisLayerInfoCache exercises a live redis instance using the cache
+// implementation.
+func TestRedisLayerInfoCache(t *testing.T) {
+	if redisAddr == "" {
+		// fallback to an environement variable
+		redisAddr = os.Getenv("TEST_REGISTRY_STORAGE_CACHE_REDIS_ADDR")
+	}
+
+	if redisAddr == "" {
+		// skip if still not set
+		t.Skip("please set -registry.storage.cache.redis to test layer info cache against redis")
+	}
+
+	pool := &redis.Pool{
+		Dial: func() (redis.Conn, error) {
+			return redis.Dial("tcp", redisAddr)
+		},
+		MaxIdle:   1,
+		MaxActive: 2,
+		TestOnBorrow: func(c redis.Conn, t time.Time) error {
+			_, err := c.Do("PING")
+			return err
+		},
+		Wait: false, // if a connection is not avialable, proceed without cache.
+	}
+
+	// Clear the database
+	if _, err := pool.Get().Do("FLUSHDB"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error flushing redis db: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	checkLayerInfoCache(t, NewRedisLayerInfoCache(pool))
+}