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+=======================
+MDS Cache Configuration
+=======================
+
+The Metadata Server coordinates a distributed cache among all MDS and CephFS
+clients. The cache serves to improve metadata access latency and allow clients
+to safely (coherently) mutate metadata state (e.g. via `chmod`). The MDS issues
+**capabilities** and **directory entry leases** to indicate what state clients
+may cache and what manipulations clients may perform (e.g. writing to a file).
+
+The MDS and clients both try to enforce a cache size. The mechanism for
+specifying the MDS cache size is described below. Note that the MDS cache size
+is not a hard limit. The MDS always allows clients to lookup new metadata
+which is loaded into the cache. This is an essential policy as it avoids
+deadlock in client requests (some requests may rely on held capabilities before
+capabilities are released).
+
+When the MDS cache is too large, the MDS will **recall** client state so cache
+items become unpinned and eligible to be dropped. The MDS can only drop cache
+state when no clients refer to the metadata to be dropped. Also described below
+is how to configure the MDS recall settings for your workload's needs. This is
+necessary if the internal throttles on the MDS recall can not keep up with the
+client workload.
+
+
+MDS Cache Size
+--------------
+
+You can limit the size of the Metadata Server (MDS) cache by a byte count. This
+is done through the `mds_cache_memory_limit` configuration:
+
+.. confval:: mds_cache_memory_limit
+
+In addition, you can specify a cache reservation by using the
+`mds_cache_reservation` parameter for MDS operations:
+
+.. confval:: mds_cache_reservation
+
+The cache reservation is
+limited as a percentage of the memory and is set to 5% by default. The intent
+of this parameter is to have the MDS maintain an extra reserve of memory for
+its cache for new metadata operations to use. As a consequence, the MDS should
+in general operate below its memory limit because it will recall old state from
+clients in order to drop unused metadata in its cache.
+
+If the MDS cannot keep its cache under the target size, the MDS will send a
+health alert to the Monitors indicating the cache is too large. This is
+controlled by the `mds_health_cache_threshold` configuration which is by
+default 150% of the maximum cache size:
+
+.. confval:: mds_health_cache_threshold
+
+Because the cache limit is not a hard limit, potential bugs in the CephFS
+client, MDS, or misbehaving applications might cause the MDS to exceed its
+cache size. The health warnings are intended to help the operator detect this
+situation and make necessary adjustments or investigate buggy clients.
+
+MDS Cache Trimming
+------------------
+
+There are two configurations for throttling the rate of cache trimming in the MDS:
+
+.. confval:: mds_cache_trim_threshold
+
+.. confval:: mds_cache_trim_decay_rate
+
+The intent of the throttle is to prevent the MDS from spending too much time
+trimming its cache. This may limit its ability to handle client requests or
+perform other upkeep.
+
+The trim configurations control an internal **decay counter**. Anytime metadata
+is trimmed from the cache, the counter is incremented. The threshold sets the
+maximum size of the counter while the decay rate indicates the exponential half
+life for the counter. If the MDS is continually removing items from its cache,
+it will reach a steady state of ``-ln(0.5)/rate*threshold`` items removed per
+second.
+
+.. note:: Increasing the value of the configuration setting
+ ``mds_cache_trim_decay_rate`` leads to the MDS spending less time
+ trimming the cache. To increase the cache trimming rate, set a lower
+ value.
+
+The defaults are conservative and may need to be changed for production MDS with
+large cache sizes.
+
+
+MDS Recall
+----------
+
+MDS limits its recall of client state (capabilities/leases) to prevent creating
+too much work for itself handling release messages from clients. This is controlled
+via the following configurations:
+
+
+The maximum number of capabilities to recall from a single client in a given recall
+event:
+
+.. confval:: mds_recall_max_caps
+
+The threshold and decay rate for the decay counter on a session:
+
+.. confval:: mds_recall_max_decay_threshold
+
+.. confval:: mds_recall_max_decay_rate
+
+The session decay counter controls the rate of recall for an individual
+session. The behavior of the counter works the same as for cache trimming
+above. Each capability that is recalled increments the counter.
+
+There is also a global decay counter that throttles for all session recall:
+
+.. confval:: mds_recall_global_max_decay_threshold
+
+its decay rate is the same as ``mds_recall_max_decay_rate``. Any recalled
+capability for any session also increments this counter.
+
+If clients are slow to release state, the warning "failing to respond to cache
+pressure" or ``MDS_HEALTH_CLIENT_RECALL`` will be reported. Each session's rate
+of release is monitored by another decay counter configured by:
+
+.. confval:: mds_recall_warning_threshold
+
+.. confval:: mds_recall_warning_decay_rate
+
+Each time a capability is released, the counter is incremented. If clients do
+not release capabilities quickly enough and there is cache pressure, the
+counter will indicate if the client is slow to release state.
+
+Some workloads and client behaviors may require faster recall of client state
+to keep up with capability acquisition. It is recommended to increase the above
+counters as needed to resolve any slow recall warnings in the cluster health
+state.
+
+
+MDS Cap Acquisition Throttle
+----------------------------
+
+A trivial "find" command on a large directory hierarchy will cause the client
+to receive caps significantly faster than it will release. The MDS will try
+to have the client reduce its caps below the ``mds_max_caps_per_client`` limit
+but the recall throttles prevent it from catching up to the pace of acquisition.
+So the readdir is throttled to control cap acquisition via the following
+configurations:
+
+
+The threshold and decay rate for the readdir cap acquisition decay counter:
+
+.. confval:: mds_session_cap_acquisition_throttle
+
+.. confval:: mds_session_cap_acquisition_decay_rate
+
+The cap acquisition decay counter controls the rate of cap acquisition via
+readdir. The behavior of the decay counter is the same as for cache trimming or
+caps recall. Each readdir call increments the counter by the number of files in
+the result.
+
+.. confval:: mds_session_max_caps_throttle_ratio
+
+.. confval:: mds_cap_acquisition_throttle_retry_request_timeout
+
+If the number of caps acquired by the client per session is greater than the
+``mds_session_max_caps_throttle_ratio`` and cap acquisition decay counter is
+greater than ``mds_session_cap_acquisition_throttle``, the readdir is throttled.
+The readdir request is retried after ``mds_cap_acquisition_throttle_retry_request_timeout``
+seconds.
+
+
+Session Liveness
+----------------
+
+The MDS also keeps track of whether sessions are quiescent. If a client session
+is not utilizing its capabilities or is otherwise quiet, the MDS will begin
+recalling state from the session even if it's not under cache pressure. This
+helps the MDS avoid future work when the cluster workload is hot and cache
+pressure is forcing the MDS to recall state. The expectation is that a client
+not utilizing its capabilities is unlikely to use those capabilities anytime
+in the near future.
+
+Determining whether a given session is quiescent is controlled by the following
+configuration variables:
+
+.. confval:: mds_session_cache_liveness_magnitude
+
+.. confval:: mds_session_cache_liveness_decay_rate
+
+The configuration ``mds_session_cache_liveness_decay_rate`` indicates the
+half-life for the decay counter tracking the use of capabilities by the client.
+Each time a client manipulates or acquires a capability, the MDS will increment
+the counter. This is a rough but effective way to monitor the utilization of the
+client cache.
+
+The ``mds_session_cache_liveness_magnitude`` is a base-2 magnitude difference
+of the liveness decay counter and the number of capabilities outstanding for
+the session. So if the client has ``1*2^20`` (1M) capabilities outstanding and
+only uses **less** than ``1*2^(20-mds_session_cache_liveness_magnitude)`` (1K
+using defaults), the MDS will consider the client to be quiescent and begin
+recall.
+
+
+Capability Limit
+----------------
+
+The MDS also tries to prevent a single client from acquiring too many
+capabilities. This helps prevent recovery from taking a long time in some
+situations. It is not generally necessary for a client to have such a large
+cache. The limit is configured via:
+
+.. confval:: mds_max_caps_per_client
+
+It is not recommended to set this value above 5M but it may be helpful with
+some workloads.