Introduction: Dynamic cache

Explore the key concepts pertaining to the dynamic cache service, which improves performance by caching the output of servlets, commands, Web services, and JavaServer Pages files.

Cache instances

An application uses a cache instance to store, retrieve, and share data objects within the dynamic cache.

Task overview: Using the dynamic cache service to improve performance

Caching the output of servlets, commands, and JavaServer Pages improves application performance. WebSphere Application Server consolidates several caching activities including servlets, Web services, and WebSphere commands into one service called the dynamic cache. These caching activities work together to improve application performance, and share many configuration parameters that are set in the dynamic cache service of an application server.

Configuring servlet caching

After a servlet is invoked and completes generating the output to cache, a cache entry is created containing the output and the side effects of the servlet. These side effects can include calls to other servlets or JavaServer Pages files or metadata about the entry, including timeout and entry priority information.

Configuring portlet fragment caching

After a portlet is invoked and completes generating the output to cache, a cache entry is created containing the output and the side effects of the portlet. These side effects can include calls to other portlets or metadata about the entry, including timeout and entry priority information.

Eviction policies using the disk cache garbage collector

The disk cache garbage collector is responsible for evicting objects out of the disk cache, based on a specified eviction policy.

Configuring the Web services client cache

The Web services client cache is a part of the dynamic cache service that is used to increase the performance of Web services clients by caching responses from remote Web services.

Cache monitor

Cache monitor is an installable Web application that provides a real-time view of the current state of dynamic cache. You use it to help verify that dynamic cache is operating as expected. The only way to manipulate the data in the cache is by using the cache monitor. It provides a GUI interface to manually change data.

Invalidation listeners

Invalidation listener mechanism uses Java events for alerting applications when contents are removed from the cache.