AssetCacheLocatorUtil(8)				    BSD System Manager's Manual 				  AssetCacheLocatorUtil(8)

NAME

     AssetCacheLocatorUtil -- Utility for reporting information about macOS Content Caches

SYNOPSIS

     AssetCacheLocatorUtil [-j|--json]

DESCRIPTION

     AssetCacheLocatorUtil reports information related to macOS Content Caches running on the computer or on the local network.

     Some of the information that AssetCacheLocatorUtil reports depends on the current network configuration, and on the user running it.  It
     might produce different results for different users, on different client devices, or on different networks.  Applications that use content
     caches might choose ones other than the ones AssetCacheLocatorUtil reports due to factors beyond its knowledge, such as iCloud affinity.

     AssetCacheLocatorUtil reports the following information separately for system daemons and for the current user:

     Availability hint
		   The system can temporarily save a hint about whether or not there might be content caches on the computer or on the local net-
		   work.  AssetCacheLocatorUtil prints that saved hint if it is available.

     Saved content caches
		   The system can temporarily save information about content caches it has previously found on the computer or on the local net-
		   work.  AssetCacheLocatorUtil prints that saved information if it is available.

     Refreshed content caches
		   AssetCacheLocatorUtil forces the system to search for content caches on the computer and on the local network and to refresh
		   the saved information above.  It then prints the results.

     Public IP address ranges
		   If your network administrator has configured public IP address ranges in DNS, which the system uses when looking up content
		   caches, AssetCacheLocatorUtil prints those ranges.

     AssetCacheLocatorUtil then reports the reachability status of all of the content caches it found.	If the computer cannot communicate with a
     content cache over the local network then it cannot request files from that content cache.  However, just because the computer can "ping" a
     content cache does not imply that that content cache will serve requests sent from this computer.

     The --json option prints the results in machine-parseable JSON format to stdout.

WARNINGS

     AssetCacheLocatorUtil also reports warnings about potential issues it discovers.

     The Apple cloud service with which content caches register limits the number of content caches on a network.  This limit can change at any
     time.  If a larger number of content caches are available on a network than the cloud allows, client devices might not always choose the
     "best" content cache.  AssetCacheLocatorUtil warns when it detects this possibility.  The number of content caches available on a network can
     be reduced by changing the settings of some of the content caches, using System Preferences > Sharing > Content Caching > press the option
     key > Advanced Options... > Clients > Cache content for:.

     AssetCacheLocatorUtil also warns when it detects content caches with different ranks.  The exact value and meaning of each rank is defined by
     the Apple cloud service with which content caches register, and can change at any time, but each client device will use only the content
     caches with the lowest-numbered rank available to it.  A content cache's rank can be changed by adjusting its settings, using System
     Preferences > Sharing > Content Caching > press the option key > Advanced Options... > Clients > Cache content for:.  A content cache on the
     same computer as the client always has the lowest-numbered rank.

     Having content caches in different ranks can be intentional or accidental, depending on your organization.  AssetCacheLocatorUtil warns about
     mixed ranks in case it is accidental.  An example of an intentional use of mixed ranks is when a school has a content cache that caches con-
     tent for devices using the same local networks and the school's district office has another content cache that caches content for devices
     using the same public IP address.	Client devices in the school will use the school's content cache.  Client devices in a different school in
     the same district will use the district's content cache.

     Every content cache must have a unique GUID.  AssetCacheLocatorUtil warns when it finds content caches in your organization with duplicate
     GUIDs.  A content cache's GUID can be changed by stopping the content cache, running the following command in Terminal as an admin user, and
     then restarting it: sudo -u _assetcache defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.AssetCache.plist ServerGUID = `uuidgen`

     Another issue about which AssetCacheLocatorUtil warns is when public IP address ranges are configured but the client device's public IP
     address is not in the configured ranges.  This could prevent the device from using your organization's content caches.  To configure custom
     public IP address ranges use System Preferences > Sharing > Content Caching > press the option key > Advanced Options... > Clients > My local
     networks: and set DNS TXT records appropriately.

SEE ALSO

     System Preferences > Sharing > Content Caching, AssetCacheManagerUtil(8)

macOS								   June 1, 2019 							     macOS