Which cache sizes are monitored by the cache framework?

Answer

The default cache size settings (specified in the coresettings.config file) may not be adequate for some environments, which can impact Symantec Management Platform performance. The cache framework has been extended to monitor cache usage and provide appropriate warning messages when the size of a cache may need to be increased. Previously there was no easy way for a user to determine when some cache sizes were inadequate, or which particular cache settings needed to be increased.

If a cache is at risk of flooding (indicated by an entry being removed from the cache soon after it was last used) a warning message is logged. The message identifies the cache size setting that needs to be increased and its current active value. By reviewing the log, the user can determine which caches need to be increased in size to suit the requirements of their environment, and then make the appropriate adjustments in the coresettings.config file.

The cache framework monitors the following cache size settings in the coresettings.config file:

• PolicyResourceInfoCacheSize
• PolicyAgentBlacklistCacheSize
• TargetOwnerCacheSize
• TargetPolicyCacheSize
• NSMessageFilterCacheSize
• NSMessageFilterSubscriberCacheSize
• ResourceTypeAttributesCacheSize
• ItemCacheSize
• ItemClassCacheSize
• CodebaseCacheSize
• ResxCacheSize
• StringCacheSize
• SecurityCacheSize

Example of the warning message seeing in the logs for the SecurityCacheSize

Priority: 2
Date: 24/03/2010 9:11:33 AM
Tick Count: 71304796
Host Name: XXXXXX
Process: w3wp (6196)
Thread ID: 68
Module: w3wp.exe
Source: Altiris.NS.Security.SecurityCache.HandlePermissionCacheFlooded
Description: Core setting SecurityCacheSize is insufficient to handle incoming security checks. Current Size:50000

• ApplicableSecurityPermissionsCacheSize
• SecurityPermissionInfoCacheSize
• ClientPolicyCacheMaxSize

The following settings are not currently monitored by the cache framework:

• ConstraintCacheMaxCacheSize
• PersonalizationCacheSize

Note that the absence of a warning message does not necessarily mean the cache size is appropriate for your requirements. Depending on the cache usage pattern, warnings may occur only when the cache size is critically small. In these situations, even with no warning messages being generated, you could still improve the system performance by increasing the cache size.