1. A computer network with distributed shared memory, comprising: a clustered memory cache aggregated from and comprised of physical memory locations on a plurality of physically distinct computing systems; a plurality of local cache managers, each of the local cache managers being local to and associated with a different portion of the clustered memory cache; a metadata service operatively coupled with the local cache managers; and a plurality of clients operatively coupled with the metadata service and the local cache managers, where in response to a request issuing from any of the clients for a data item present in the clustered memory cache, the metadata service is configured to respond with identification of the local cache manager associated with the portion of the clustered memory cache containing such data item.