ASP.NET Core Cache - An Overview

Modern web applications require fast performance and scalability. As applications grow, frequent database queries can slow things down, leading to performance bottlenecks, and reduced responsiveness.

ASP.NET Core is a powerful framework for building scalable web applications, but it performs well when combined with a distributed caching solution like NCache. Caching frequently accessed data reduces database load, increases the response time, and improves scalability.

Let's discuss the benefits of distributed caching, its real-world use cases, and how to integrate NCache with ASP.NET Core applications.

Understanding Distributed Caching

Distributed caching stores frequently used data across multiple servers, making a scalable and reliable in-memory data store. This helps reduce latency, minimizes database queries, and improves application responsiveness.

• Faster Performance - Delivers cached data in-memory, greatly reducing response times.
• Seamless Scalability - Expands horizontally by adding cache nodes as demand increases.
• High Availability - Ensures reliability with data replication, preventing downtime if a server fails.
• Efficient Resource Utilization - Reduces database load by caching frequent read operations.

Setting Up NCache for ASP.NET Core

Step 1: Install NCache

Installing NCache Server

Install NCache Server on two servers from the official website. Use NCache Manager to create and start a clustered cache for high availability and performance.

Installing NCache Client SDK

To connect an ASP.NET Core application to the cache server, install the NCache Client SDK using NuGet:

dotnet add package Alachisoft.NCache.SDK

Ensure your network and firewall settings allow communication between your application and the cache server.

Step 2: Creating a Clustered Cache

A clustered cache improves scalability and ensures high availability by distributing cached data across multiple servers.

1. Verify Network Connectivity - Ensure cache nodes can communicate over the designated network ports.
2. Configure NCache - Use NCache Manager or PowerShell to create a clustered cache instance.
3. Add Cache Nodes - Add multiple servers to improve performance and reliability.
4. Monitor Cache Health - Track synchronization and node availability through NCache's monitoring tools.

Step 3: Installing & Configuring the .NET Client

After setting up NCache, configure your ASP.NET Core application to connect to the cache.

Program.cs (Modify)

using Alachisoft.NCache.Client;

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);
builder.Services.AddSingleton<ICache>(_ => CacheManager.GetCache("demoCache"));

var app = builder.Build();
app.Run();

Using NCache in ASP.NET Core

1. Retrieving Data from the Cache

public Dictionary<string, Product> RetrieveProducts(List<int> productIds)
{
    List<string> cacheKeys = productIds.Select(id => $"Product:{id}").ToList();
    Dictionary<string, Product> cachedProducts = _cache.GetBulk<Product>(cacheKeys);
    return cachedProducts;
}

2. Adding Data to the Cache

public Product GetProduct(int productId)
{
    string cacheKey = $"Product:{productId}";
    Product product = _cache.Get<Product>(cacheKey);

    if (product == null)
    {
        product = FetchProductFromDB(productId);
        var cacheItem = new CacheItem(product)
        {
            Expiration = new Expiration(ExpirationType.Absolute, TimeSpan.FromMinutes(10))
        };
        _cache.Add(cacheKey, cacheItem);
    }
    
    return product;
}

3. Updating/Inserting Data in the Cache

public void UpdateProduct(int productId, Product updatedProduct)
{
    // Update the database first
    UpdateProductInDB(productId, updatedProduct);
    
    // Update the cache after successful database update
    string cacheKey = $"Product:{productId}";
    var cacheItem = new CacheItem(updatedProduct)
    {
        Expiration = new Expiration(ExpirationType.Absolute, TimeSpan.FromMinutes(10))
    };
    _cache.Insert(cacheKey, cacheItem);
}

4. Removing Cached Data

public void RemoveData(List<string> keys)
{
    _cache.RemoveBulk(keys);
}

Advanced Caching Features

NCache offers additional enterprise-level caching features to enhance performance:

• Groups & Tags - Organize related cache items for efficient retrieval and removal.
• SQL-Based Queries - Perform structured queries on cached data.
• Expiration & Eviction Policies - Automatically remove outdated data based on set rules.
• Pub/Sub Messaging - Receive real-time event notifications when cache data changes.
• Distributed Session Caching - Store ASP.NET Core sessions in a distributed cache for enhanced performance.
• Read-through & Write-through - Automatically fetch and update cache from the database.
• Cache Loader & Refresher - Preload and refresh cached data in the background.

Get Started with NCache Today!

Optimize your ASP.NET Core applications with NCache! Reduce database load, enhance performance, and scale effortlessly.

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