IPLM Cache

IPLM Cacheis a workspace build acceleration solution which enables a known clean read only workspace. The IPLM Cache server supports High Availability, fault tolerant deployments.

IPLM Cache introduction

IPLM Cache is an on disk IP caching system that can be used to speed workspace loading, reduce disk usage, and ensure data integrity for important engineering processes like a tapeout.

IPLM Cache consists of a IPLM Cache server that manages an on disk (network mounted) IP Cache directory. When workspaces are loaded via PiClient IPs can be linked from the IPLM Cache disk cache rather than being loaded directly from the DM into the user's local workspace. The linked IPs will be read-only for the user in the workspace, but it is rarely the case that any particular user needs write access to all the data in their workspace, much of it is there for reference. By linking IPs in the IP Cache rather than loading them workspaces can be loaded much more quickly than could be accomplished from the DM system.

In cases where an IP Version is not already populated in the cache the workspace update or load would have to request that it be loaded, in which case no time would be saved. Subsequent loads would be accelerated. It is possible to pre-populate an IPV in the cache before it is requested by a workspace, this is done via the 'pi ip populate' command. 

IPLM Cache details

PiCLI talks directly to both the IPLM Cache Server and the Perforce IPLM Server, it requests IP release information from IPLM Server and makes requests of IPLM Cache to load any IPVs that may be missing when a workspace is loaded or updated.

In the Workspace, cached IPs that are linked in, but not locally populated are said to be in 'refer' mode. Locally populated IPs are in 'local' mode. IPs can be switched between local and refer modes by the 'pi ip local' and 'pi ip refer' commands. The output of the 'pi workspace status' command shows whether an IP is in local or refer mode at any given time.

Normally a IPLM Cache server is deployed at least one per customer site, IPLM Cache handles setting filesystem permissions on the IPVs populated in the cache, so only the approved users/groups can access them on disk. IPLM Cache also can set ACLs on the IPV directories in the cache if the underlying filesystem supports them.

IPVs can be limited to only be loaded in IPLM Cache or only be loaded in local mode via Project Properties set on the top level IPV in the workspace.

IPLM Cache server

The IPLM Cache Server has a fault tolerant design and supports HA deployments. The IPLM Cache server can be monitored via the Metrics package, IP data can be accessed via a monitoring system. IPLM Cache server also supports Queue management including job prioritization, job deletion, and job throttling.