Features of data caching

Caching can be called the temporary storage of previously used data to improve the performance of the machine and the quality of the connection. Such functionality greatly simplifies many aspects of both ordinary web surfing and analytical data collection from various web resources.

The information caching technology itself is not new for a long time and is used in almost every computing system, the cache is used in HDDs, processors, and even in individual applications, browsers, and servers. We propose to understand the system in a little more detail on this topic, together with us.

HDD cache

Compared to RAM, hard drives will be a very slow device.

In this case, the cache is the built-in memory in the HDD, it acts as a buffer between your processor and the drive. His work implies that during the reading and writing of data to this data, repeated requests are possible.

Processor memory

Cache processors are one of the fastest processors for accessing stored information. The main function of such memory will be a buffer between CPU & RAM.

Processors have a peculiar storage scheme in the form of registers with relatively small information stores for high-speed information exchange. In addition, processors have access to different levels of memory data.

Simple server

Let’s try to go deeper with the help of an example of the operation of caching technology, in a joint action with the client, when, in response to a request, he sends various data.

First, we have a regular web server that receives data from the HDD when responding to a user request. When the first request comes, the disk inspects the cache and after that, if the data is not there, then it reads them from the drive. After that, the information is determined in the cache to be preserved in case it is still useful in the future.

Server response caching

Let’s look at the scheme where the web server is divided in half into 2 components. With this option, the server, as one of the parts, provides cooperation with users and an application that already works in conjunction with data storage systems.

Developers can implement various configurations that will cache responses. This means that the server will not need to send similar requests to applications. In the same scheme, an application can store a cache of fragments of its responses to the most frequent calls and so on.

Database caching

Work steps and various processes are often slowed down due to the long response from the databases from which it is so necessary to obtain information for further calculations. When there is a repeated request, caching greatly saves the situation and increases the speed of the response time. It is impossible not to mention that this technology shows itself well when, for example, 2 different machines make up one identical database query.

Note that most database servers are configured from the outset with the best possible caching options.

Browser caching

Let’s try to delve into the systematics of the cache in browsers. Initially, you need to understand that all browsers support the HTTP cache, and it is necessary to temporarily save information received from the network. The cache is used when HTTP headers are correctly configured with the time and circumstances to cache server responses.

Benefits of this technology:

Reducing the load on the server application

Free up network resources to save traffic.

Improved usability through fast data loading.