Configuring an enterprise data grid in a stand-alone environment for dynamic caching
Copy and modify deployment and objectGrid XML descriptor files to configure an enterprise grid for dynamic caching. These files are used to start an enterprise data grid.
About this task
- Dynamic cache descriptor file (dynacache-deployment.xml)
- This file is the deployment descriptor file for starting a container server for dynamic caching.
For more information, see Deployment policy descriptor XML file. Although this file can be used as-is, the
following elements or attributes are occasionally changed or have significant importance:
- mapSet name and map ref
The name attribute in mapSet, and the defined value for map ref do not directly correspond to the dynamic cache instance name configured for WebSphere Application Server and are typically not changed. If, however, these values are changed, then corresponding custom properties must be added to the configuration of the dynamic cache instance. For more information, see Customizing a dynamic cache instance with custom properties.
- numberOfPartitions
This attribute can be changed to represent the appropriate number of partitions for your configuration. For more information, see Planning environment capacity.
- maxAsyncReplicas
This attribute can be changed. A dynamic cache typically is used in a side-cache model with a database or some other source as the system of record for the data. As a result, setting this value to OPTIMISTIC or NONE triggers near cache processing, when the IBM eXtreme IO (XIO) transport type is used, and the space and performance trade-offs that are required to make the data highly available discourage the use of replication. However, in some cases high availability is important.
- numInitialContainers
This attribute must be set to the number of containers that are included in the initial startup of the enterprise data grid. Having this set correctly aids in the placement and distribution of partitions throughout the data grid.
- mapSet name and map ref
- Dynamic cache ObjectGrid descriptor XML file (dynacache-objectgrid.xml)
- This file is the recommended ObjectGrid descriptor file for starting a container server for
dynamic caching. For more information, see ObjectGrid descriptor XML file. It is configured to run
with the eXtreme IO transport type (XIO) using eXtreme Data Formatting (XDF). In addition, the
Dependency ID and Template ID indexes are configured to use a Global Index, which improves
invalidation performance. Although this file can be used as-is, the following elements or attributes
are occasionally changed or have significant importance.
- objectGrid name and backingMap name
The name attributes in the objectGrid and backingMap elements do not directly correspond to the dynamic cache instance name configured for WebSphere Application Server cache instance and typically do not need to be changed. If, however, these attributes are changed, then the corresponding custom properties must be added to the configuration of the dynamic cache instance. For more information, see Customizing a dynamic cache instance with custom properties.
- copyMode
Set this attribute to COPY_TO_BYTES. This value enables eXtreme Data Format (XDF) when the eXtremeIO (XIO) transport type is used. Changing to some other copyMode disables XDF and requires that you uncomment the ObjectTransformer plug-in bean.
- lockStrategy
Set this attribute to PESSIMISTIC. Setting this value to OPTIMISTIC or NONE triggers near cache processing and must be accompanied with properties from the dynamic-nearcache-objectgrid.xml file.
- backingMapPluginCollections
This element is required. The child elements Evictor plug-in and MapIndex plug-in are both required for dynamic caching and must not be removed.
- GlobalIndexEnabled
Both the DEPENDENCY_ID_INDEX and TEMPLATE_INDEX contain a GlobalIndexEnabled property that is set to true. Setting this value to false disables the global index feature for these indexes. It is recommended to leave these global indexes enabled unless you are running with a small number of total partitions, for example, less than 40.
- objectTransformer
Since this objectGrid descriptor file is intended to run in eXtreme Data Format (XDF), it is commented out. If you want to disable XDF (by changing the copyMode value), then you must uncomment this plug-in.
- objectGrid name and backingMap name
- Dynamic near cache ObjectGrid descriptor file (dynacache-nearcache-objectgrid.xml)
- This file is the recommended ObjectGrid descriptor file for starting container servers for dynamic caching when a you want a near cache. It is configured to run with XIO and XDF. In addition, the Dependency ID and Template indexes are configured to use a Global Index, which improves invalidation performance. The dynamic caching near cache capability requires the use of the XIO transport type.
- Dynamic legacy ObjectGrid descriptor file (dynacache-legacy85-objectgrid.xml)
- This file is the recommended ObjectGrid descriptor file for starting a container server for
dynamic caching when you enable a near cache. Although this file can be used as-is, the following
elements or attributes are occasionally changed or have significant importance:
- objectGrid name and backingMap name
These values in this file do not directly correspond to the dynamic cache instance name configured for the WebSphere Application Server's cache instance and typically do not need to be changed. If, however, these values are changed, then corresponding custom properties must be added to the configuration of the dynamic cache instance.
- copyMode
This backingMap property is set to COPY_ON_READ_AND_COMMIT. This value must not be changed.
- lockStrategy
This backingMap property is set to PESSIMISTIC. This value must not be changed.
- backingMapPluginCollections
The MapIndexPlugins, Evictor, and Object Transformer are mandatory items for dynamic caching and must not be removed.
- objectGrid name and backingMap name