CACHEFILESD.CONF(5) Cache Files Utilities CACHEFILESD.CONF(5)
NAME
/etc/cachefilesd.conf - Local file caching configuration file
SYNOPSIS
The configuration file for cachefilesd which can manage a persistent cache for a variety of network filesystems using a set of files on an
already mounted filesystem as the data store.
DESCRIPTION
This configuration file can contain a number of commands. Each one should be on a separate line. Blank lines and lines beginning with a
'#' character are considered to be comments and are discarded.
The only mandatory command is:
dir <path>
This command specifies the directory containing the root of the cache. It may only specified once per configuration file.
All the other commands are optional:
brun <N>%
bcull <N>%
bstop <N>%
frun <N>%
fcull <N>%
fstop <N>%
These commands configure the culling limits. The defaults are 7% (run), 5% (cull) and 1% (stop) respectively. See the section on
cache culling for more information.
The commands beginning with a 'b' are file space (block) limits, those beginning with an 'f' are file count limits.
tag <name>
This command specifies a tag to FS-Cache to use in distinguishing multiple caches. This is only required if more than one cache is
going to be used. The default is "CacheFiles".
culltable <log2size>
This command specifies the size of the tables holding the lists of cullable objects in the cache. The bigger the number, the faster
and more smoothly that culling can proceed when there are many objects in the cache, but the more memory will be consumed by
cachefilesd.
The quantity is specified as log2 of the size actually required, for example 12 indicates a table of 4096 entries and 13 indicates
8192 entries. The permissible values are between 12 and 20, the latter indicating 1048576 entries. The default is 12.
debug <mask>
This command specifies a numeric bitmask to control debugging in the kernel module. The default is zero (all off). The following
values can be OR'd into the mask to collect various information:
1 Turn on trace of function entry (_enter() macros)
2 Turn on trace of function exit (_leave() macros)
4 Turn on trace of internal debug points (_debug())
This mask can also be set through /sys/module/cachefiles/parameters/debug.
EXAMPLES
As an example, consider the following:
dir /var/fscache
tag mycache
brun 10%
bcull 7%
bstop 3%
The places the cache storage objects in a directory called "/var/fscache", names the cache "mycache", permits the cache to run freely as
long as there's at least 10% free space on /var/fscache/, starts culling the cache when the free space drops below 7% and stops writing new
stuff into the cache if the amount of free space drops below 3%. If the cache is suspended, it won't reactivate until the amount of free
space rises again to 10% or better.
CACHE CULLING
The cache may need culling occasionally to make space. This involves discarding objects from the cache that have been used less recently
than anything else. Culling is based on the access time of data objects. Empty directories are culled if not in use.
Cache culling is done on the basis of the percentage of blocks and the percentage of files available in the underlying filesystem. There
are six "limits":
brun
frun If the amount of free space and the number of available files in the cache rises above both these limits, then culling is turned
off.
bcull
fcull If the amount of available space or the number of available files in the cache falls below either of these limits, then culling is
started.
bstop
fstop If the amount of available space or the number of available files in the cache falls below either of these limits, then no further
allocation of disk space or files is permitted until culling has raised things above these limits again.
These must be configured thusly:
0 <= bstop < bcull < brun < 100
0 <= fstop < fcull < frun < 100
Note that these are percentages of available space and available files, and do not appear as 100 minus the percentage displayed by the df
program.
The userspace daemon scans the cache to build up a table of cullable objects. These are then culled in least recently used order. A new
scan of the cache is started as soon as space is made in the table. Objects will be skipped if their atimes have changed or if the kernel
module says it is still using them.
SEE ALSO
cachefilesd(8), df(1), /usr/share/doc/cachefilesd-*/README
AUTHORS
The cachefilesd software has been developed by David Howells
Linux 14 November 2005 CACHEFILESD.CONF(5)