NCA(1) User Commands NCA(1)

NAME

nca, snca - the Solaris Network Cache and Accelerator (NCA)

DESCRIPTION

The Solaris Network Cache and Accelerator ("NCA") is a kernel module
designed to provide improved web server performance. The kernel module,
ncakmod, services HTTP requests. To improve the performance of servicing
HTTP requests, the NCA kernel module maintains an in-kernel cache of web
pages. If the NCA kernel module cannot service the request itself, it
passes the request to the http daemon (httpd). It uses either a sockets
interface, with family type designated PF_NCA, or a private Solaris doors
interface that is based on the Solaris doors RPC mechanism, to pass the
request.


To use the sockets interface, the web server must open a socket of family
type PF_NCA. The PF_NCA family supports only SOCK_STREAM and protocol 0,
otherwise an error occurs.


The following features are not presently supported:

o You cannot initiate a connection from a PF_NCA type socket.
The connect(3SOCKET) interface on PF_NCA fails.

o System calls that are associated with type SO_DGRAM, such as
send(), sendto(), sendmsg(), recv(), recvfrom(), and
recvmsg(), fails.

o You cannot set TCP or IP options on a PF_NCA type socket
through setsockopt(3SOCKET).


The NCA cache consistency is maintained by honoring HTTP headers that
deal with a given content type and expiration date, much the same way as
a proxy cache.


For configuration information, see System Administration Guide: IP
Services


When native PF_NCA socket support does not exist in the web server, the
ncad_addr(5) interface must be used to provide NCA support in that web
server.


NCA is intended to be run on a dedicated web server. Running other large
processes while running NCA might cause undesirable behavior.


NCA supports the logging of in-kernel cache hits. See ncalogd.conf(5).
NCA stores logs in a binary format. Use the ncab2clf(1) utility to
convert the log from a binary format to the Common Log File format.

FILES

/etc/nca/ncakmod.conf
Lists configuration parameters for NCA.


/etc/nca/ncalogd.conf
Lists configuration parameters for NCA logging.


/etc/nca/nca.if
Lists the physical interfaces on which NCA runs.


/etc/nca/ncaport.conf
ncaport configuration file


/etc/hostname.{}{0-9}
Lists all physical interfaces configured on the
server.


/etc/hosts
Lists all host names associated with the server.
Entries in this file must match with entries in
/etc/hostname.{}{0-9} for NCA to function.

ATTRIBUTES

See attributes(7) for descriptions of the following attributes:


+--------------------+-----------------+
| ATTRIBUTE TYPE | ATTRIBUTE VALUE |
+--------------------+-----------------+
|Interface Stability | Committed |
+--------------------+-----------------+

SEE ALSO

ncab2clf(1), ncakmod(1), close(2), read(2), write(2), door_bind(3C),
door_call(3C), door_create(3C), sendfilev(3EXT), socket.h(3HEAD),
accept(3SOCKET), bind(3SOCKET), connect(3SOCKET), getsockopt(3SOCKET),
listen(3SOCKET), setsockopt(3SOCKET), shutdown(3SOCKET), socket(3SOCKET),
nca.if(5), ncad_addr(5), ncakmod.conf(5), ncalogd.conf(5),
ncaport.conf(5), attributes(7)


System Administration Guide: IP Services


February 22, 2005 NCA(1)