1. A method for processing at least one I/O request issued by an application to at least one of a filename, a device, and a continuous range of logical block addresses (LBA) of a virtual device via out-of-band hinting, comprising: directly interfacing with at least one of a storage controller and a block driver while bypassing the I/O stream; defining at least one hint, the hint including the at least one of a filename, a device, and a continuous range of logical block addresses, a hint type, and associated instructions for processing the I/O request; and passing the at least one hint to the at least one of a storage controller and a block driver while bypassing the I/O stream.