Caching in the Sprite network file system

Abstract

The Sprite network operating system uses large main-memory disk block caches to achieve high performance in its file system. It provides non-write-through file caching on both client and server machines. A simple cache consistency mechanism permits files to be shared by multiple clients without danger of stale data. In order to allow the file cache to occupy as much memory as possible, the file system of each machine negotiates with the virtual memory system over physical memory usage and changes the size of the file cache dynamically. Benchmark programs indicate that client caches allow diskless Sprite workstations to perform within O-12 percent of workstations with disks. In addition, client caching reduces server loading by 50 percent and network traffic by 90 percent.