Websphere Commerce Data Cache (Part 1) - Distribution Maps

 In Data Cache we have to know what distribution mapping has to be configured for caching.We cover how to configure in a while. Before configuring we need to know what are the distribution maps available.

WCContractDistributedMapCache, WCSystemDistributedMapCache

Cache any system data like Organization, Country, StateProvince,MemberGroup, Role, ShippingMode, Currency,Language, BusinessPolicy

WCPromotionDistributedMapCache, WCMarketingDistributedMapCache

These distribution maps will cache marketing and promotional data like CalculationCode, Promotion, PromotionGroup, PromotionPolicy, MerchandisingAssociation

WCCatalogGroupDistributedMapCache

This will cache catalog Group related data like CatalogGroup, CatalogGroupRelation

WCCatalogEntryDistributedMapCache, WCPriceDistributedMapCache

Catalog Entry related data will be cached for this distribution Map like Item, Product, Shipping, Price.

WCUserDistributedMapCache, WCSessionDistributedMapCache

User and session related data like user related and session related data

WCFlexFlowDistributedMapCache,WCSearchxxxDistributedMapCache,WCSEOxxxDistributedMapCache

Some Essential data.

Note: Command caching is enabled using cachespec.xml

How to configure distributedMap data cache on server? Click here

Reference:

• For list of classes included in each distribution map (Distribution Map - Classes)
• IBM Support document (IBM Support Document)

Caching intro

Well .. before i started going through the websphere commerce caching features. I was under assumption only JSPs, Static content only can be cached for easy access.

IBM Websphere commerce cache almost everything like JSP, Sevlets, Commerce commands.
What are other features IBM WC provides for caching?

• IBM WC verifies if content of cache is valid . And this validation is run on rule based, time based , group based(What is this? got to find out)  and programmatic.
• If you have multiple servers it can replicate caching on all the servers.
• When you are restarting server large chunk of cache will be preserved to reused after restart. ( this is really news to me. Most of the time we restart server to ensure there is no cache is present on server. IBM WC does a smart saving of cache) So next time if you are still seeing old data after restart remember to clear cache using cache monitor.

Now question is how are we going to enable above features and where. Here is the answer cachespec.xml

Based on type of content some content of data can be cached at browser level , If data is more secured then cache data at server level ( more secure) . IBM WC can cache full page or partial page based on what you define.

I will cover Cachespec.xml and how to utilize better caching.