Data requests can be serviced by smart network interface cards (NICs). For example, a smart NIC can receive a request for data at a hardware-implemented path of the smart network interface card (NIC). The smart NIC can determine, based on a mapping table accessible by the hardware-implemented path of the smart NIC, a first storage node includes the data. The smart NIC can transmit the request to the first storage node for determining a second storage node, rather than the first storage node, includes the data and transmitting at least a portion of the request to the second storage node.