How to Setup Cache EX

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OSCAM Cache-EX Tutorial

I was asked to write a little tutorial on howto setup Oscam's CACHE-EX Feature...

What is Cache-EX ?


The Cache-EX feature makes it possible to exchange Oscam's caches from server to server.

Why is Cache useful in general ?

Quite simple. Even without Cache-EX enabled, Oscam builds a cache by default. Every requested ECM by a client is forwarded to an available card or proxy reader. This ECM will stay in Oscam's memory (cache), until its validity expire. On a busy server, you can imagine that there are quite a lot of valid ECM's in memory.

When a second client requests an ECM for the same channel, it will automatically forward the available ECM from local cache, without requesting a reader or proxy, resulting on less load on your cards. Obviously, when its not available from local cache, the request is forwarded to a proxy or card.

You can see answers from Oscam's local cache in your logs.

The reader-name mentioned, is the reader where the ECM originally came from.

2012/03/12 13:06:18 1412EAF0 c USER_A (0100&00006A/5212/64:4A32): cache1 (4 ms) by READER1 (13 of 26) - RTL7 HD


2012/03/12 13:08:50 1412EAF0 c USER_B (0100&00006A/51BD/64:0C7D): cache2 (22 ms) by READER2 (14 of 26) - Sport1 Tennis


2012/03/12 13:08:51 140E5170 c USER_C (0100&00006A/17CC/64:6172): cache2 (133 ms) by READER3 (14 of 26) - EredivisieLive1 HD


2012/03/12 13:08:52 141226A0 c USER_D (0100&00006A/17CC/64:6172): cache2 (190 ms) by READER3 (14 of 26) - EredivisieLive1 HD

OK, so why use Cache-EX on top of the normal cache ?

Cache-EX can be enabled by adding a special user to the server, and a special reader to the client with corresponding Cache-EX parameters. This reader and user is only capable of transporting cached-ecm's. When no valid cached-ecm is found on the server, the request is 'rejected'.

The benefit of this method, is that every ECM request on your server will be tried against the cache of your Cache-EX-enabled readers first. The answer on such requests is given very fast, since a server is able to check this in no-time. When no Cache-EX-enabled reader is able to answer the ECM request, the request is forwarded to- and answered by a 'normal' reader.

How-To setup CACHE-EX


Like stated above, Cache-EX can be configured with the 'cacheex' parameter on your user or reader.

To use it, Oscam has to be compiled with CACHE-EX support set to ON.

The Cache-EX-user must have always the same mode configured as the connecting Cache-EX-reader.

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There are 4 modes you can setup:

cacheex = 1 - cachepull

OSCam A reader1 has cacheex = 1

OSCam B account1 has cacheex = 1

OSCam A gets a ECM request, reader1 send this request to OSCam B,

OSCam B checks his cache:

Not found in cache: return NOK (shows as 'rejected' in logs)

Found in cache: return OK+CW

Not found in cache, but found pending request: wait cacheexwaittime in oscam.conf [global] and check again.

OSCam B never requests new ECMs.

CW-flow = B ---> A

cacheex = 2 - cachepush

OSCam A reader1 has cacheex = 2

OSCam B account1 hastcacheex = 2

If OSCam B gets a CW, its pushed to OSCam A, reader has normal functionality and can request ECMs.

Problem: OSCAM can only push CW's if OSCam A is connected

Problem or feature?: OSCam A reader can request ECMs from OSCam B

CW-flow = B ---> A

cacheex = 3 - reversecachepush

OSCam A reader 1 has cacheex = 3

If OSCam A gets a CW, its pushed to OSCam B. OSCam A never requests new ECMs.

CW-flow = A ---> B

To make a long story short, i tested all modes extensively, and found out that mode 1 is working best.

Example of Mode1 Cache-EX(change) in two directions.

This example creates a bi-directional transport of cache between two servers, with mode 1.

oscam.reader on OSCAM-A:

[reader]
label = OSCAM-B-CACHE
protocol = cccam
device = oscamserverB.com,12000
user = OSCAM-A-CACHE
password = password
inactivitytimeout = 0
cacheex = 1
group = 1
dropbadcws = 1
cccversion = 2.3.0
ccckeepalive = 1
cccreshare = 3

oscam.user on OSCAM-B:

[account]
user = OSCAM-A-CACHE
pwd = password
group = 1
cacheex = 1
cccmaxhops = 10
cccreshare = 1

oscam.reader on OSCAM-B:

[reader]
label = OSCAM-A-CACHE
protocol = cccam
device = oscamserverA.com,12000
user = OSCAM-B-CACHE
password = password
inactivitytimeout = 0
cacheex = 1
group = 1
dropbadcws = 1
cccversion = 2.3.0
ccckeepalive = 1
cccreshare = 3

oscam.user on OSCAM-A:

[account]
user = OSCAM-B-CACHE
pwd = password
group = 1
cacheex = 1
cccmaxhops = 10
cccreshare = 1

Logging and monitoring

You can see traffic flowing from Oscam's log.

For example:

When a cache-ex-request is NOT found in cache, or an invalid SID is requested:

2012/03/12 13:51:13 1412EAF0 c OSCAM-A-CACHE (0100&00006A/51E0/64:C1C8): rejected peer (55 ms) (13 of 25) - Sport1 HD

When a cache-ex-request IS found in cache:

2012/03/12 13:51:07 144716B0 c OSCAM-A-CACHE (0100&00006A/17CC/64:B81C): found (32 ms) by OSCAM-B-CACHE (7 of 16) - EredivisieLive1 HD

Also, you can check an overview of the cache thru the WEB GUI -> http://<oscamserverURL>/cacheex.html

The efficiency of your cache can be measured with the totals displayed on the bottom of Oscam's Users page in the GUI.

My server currently reports:

50

1

0

46

36

11

29513

0

186905

3741

24140

0

Meaning.. almost almost 50% of all my request are flowing from cache.

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Hereby a little tutorial extra only for cacheex = 3 - reversecachepush

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Specially with the group assign

Hoping I can make it clear with some examples.

Most people make the mistake to use the same setting as they are normal using with sharing

OSCam A reader 1 has local card 1 and is in group 1

OSCam A reader 2 has local card 2 and is in group 2

OSCam Areader 3 has local card 3 and is in group 3

OSCam A reader 4 is a share and is in group 4

OSCam A reader 5 is a share and is in group 4

OSCam A reader 6 has cacheex = 3 --> in which group he is depends on which cache you want to exchange see examples

OSCam A user 1 has cacheex = 3 --> in which group he is depends on which cache you want to exchange see examples

OSCam B reader 1 has local card 1 and is in group 10

OSCam B reader 2 has local card 2 and is in group 20

OSCam B reader 3 has local card 3 and is in group 30

OSCam B reader 4 is a share and is in group 40

OSCam B reader 5 is a share and is in group 40

OSCam B reader 6 has cacheex = 3 --> in which group he is depends on which cache you want to exchange see examples

OSCam B user 1 has cacheex = 3 --> in which group he is depends on which cache you want to exchange see examples

Example 1:

OSCam A reader 6 has cacheex = 3 and will connect with OSCam B on user 1: user 1 = group 40,50 and has cacheex = 3

So the cache pushing can begin

If server Oscam A only wants to exchange his cache from his local cards than the group settings should be

OSCam A reader 6 group 1,2,3 ---> now OSCam B will recieves only cache from the local cards and shares this to users that are in group 40,50

Reverse cache

So the cache will flow from OSCam A ---> OSCam B

Example 2

OSCam A reader 6 has cacheex = 3 and will connect with OSCam B on user 1: user 1 = group 20,40,50 and has cacheex = 3

So the cache pushing can begin

If server Oscam A wants to exchange his cache from his whole server than the group settings should be

OSCam A reader 6 group 1,2,3,4 ---> now OSCam B will recieves all cache and shares this to users that are in group 20,40,50

So on server OSCam B all user that are in groups 20,40,50 are able to use the recieved cache

Reverse cache

So the cache will flow from OSCam A ---> OSCam B

Example 3

If OSCam B wants to exchange his own cache and the cache he recieves from other Oscam servers (Oscam A see example 2)

OSCam B made a group only for cacheex this is group 50 (see example 2)

OSCam B reader 6 has cacheex = 3 and will connect with OSCam C on user 1: user 1 = group 15 and has cacheex = 3

So the cache pushing can begin

If server OSCam B wants to exchange his cache from his whole server, than the group settings should be

OSCam B reader 6 group 10,20,30,40,50 ---> now OSCam C will recieves all cache and shares this to users that are in group 15

So on server OSCam C all user that are in groups 15 are able to use the recieved cache also readers on OSCam C with cacheex 3 will be able to use the recieved cache and can push this forward

So the cache will flow from OSCam A ---> OSCam B ---> OSCam C

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