A management server maintains a set of metadata describing a storage structure of a storage server. In response to a change of the storage structure, the management server automatically updates the set of metadata. The management server also manages information indicating what portion of the set of metadata is cached locally at a storage management client application. If that portion of the set of metadata is updated in response to the change of the storage structure, the management server sends information to update the metadata cached locally at the storage management client application so that the cached metadata is consistent with the set of metadata at the management server. By caching data at the storage management client application and at the network storage management server, the present invention advantageously avoids sending unnecessary requests to the storage server, thereby reducing network latency.