Use MPX Cache Agent from the StarTeam Cross-Platform Client and IDEs

If ActiveMQ MPX and a MPX Cache Agent have been installed and configured, you can use the MPX Cache Agent from your StarTeam Cross-Platform Client or an IDE based on StarTeam Cross-Platform Client or .NET components. Using a “network-near” MPX Cache Agent should provide faster check-out operations.

Enable MPX Cache Agent Use

The StarTeam Server to which you connect must be MPX-enabled. However, the StarTeam Cross-Platform Client does not have to enable ActiveMQ MPX to take advantage of MPX Cache Agent. ActiveMQ MPX provides properties about files and other items. MPX Cache Agent provides file and/or object caching. Using both would be typical but is not mandatory.

MPX Cache Agent use can be enabled either through personal options or in server properties, specific to the server you are editing. Personal options would only be referenced if no specific settings on the server have been made.

Note: If ActiveMQ MPX is not enabled, the MPX Cache Agent cannot be auto-located. It must be configured with a specific address and port.

Enable the MPX Cache Agent via Server Properties

To enable the MPX Cache Agent through the server properties, do the following:

  1. Start the StarTeam Cross-Platform Client.

  2. Click Project >Open.

    The Open Project Wizard dialog box opens.

  3. Select the server configuration for which you wish to enable MPX Cache Agent use, and click Server Properties.

    The Server Properties dialog box opens

  4. Select the MPX Cache Agent tab.

  5. Under Use MPX Cache Agent for, select whether the MPX Cache Agent will be used for file caching (File Content)/object caching (Item Properties).

    When the Item properties check box is selected, the SDK automatically determines when object caching is beneficial and will use the MPX Cache Agent when performance is estimated to be faster than going to the StarTeam Server.

  6. You can specify a specific cache agent to use or allow the client to locate the nearest cache agent. Do one of the following:

    • Select the Use MPX Cache Agent At option button, providing both an address and port. The address can be the computer name or an IP address. Use ssl:// prefix to indicate a TLS-enabled cache agent.

      Note: Only CPC 17.3 patch 2 and higher support TLS-enabled Cache Agents.

    • Select the Automatically Locate the Closest MPX Cache Agent for Each MPX option button and let the client do the work.

  7. You can change the number of threads in the Maximum Request Threads text box, but the default should be adequate for most users needs.

  8. Click OK.

Enable the MPX Cache Agent via Personal Options

To enable the MPX Cache Agent through personal options, do the following:

  1. Start the StarTeam Cross-Platform Client.

  2. Click Tools > Personal Options.

    The Personal Options dialog box opens.

  3. Select the MPX tab.

  4. Select the Enable MPX Cache Agent check box.

  5. Select Automatic refresh with to enable the automatic refresh of the application window by way of MPX.

    The default minimum is 30 seconds, and the default maximum is 0– seconds. If this option is unchecked, you must refresh manually (Shift+F5).

  6. Under Use MPX Cache Agent for, select whether the MPX Cache Agent will be used for file caching (File Content)/object caching (Item Properties). When the Item properties check box is selected, the SDK automatically determines when object caching is beneficial and will use the MPX Cache Agent when performance is estimated to be faster than going to the StarTeam Server.

  7. You can specify a specific cache agent to use or allow the client to locate the nearest cache agent. Do one of the following:

    • Select the Use MPX Cache Agent At option button, providing both an address and port. The address can be the computer name or an IP address. Use ssl:// prefix to indicate a TLS-enabled cache agent.

      Note: Only CPC 17.3 patch 2 and higher support TLS-enabled Cache Agents.

    • Select the Automatically Locate the Closest MPX Cache Agent for Each MPX option button and let the client do the work.

  8. You can change the number of threads in the Maximum Request Threads text box, but the default should be adequate for most users needs.>

  9. Click OK.

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Checking out Files with the MPX Cache Agent

The visible advantage to using MPX Cache Agent is the improved speed of file check-out operations. The more files you check out, the more advantage you will gain from MPX Cache Agent. Over time, more and more of the files will come from MPX Cache Agent, reducing the strain on StarTeam Server. As a result, the check-out speed should continue to improve until all files are available from MPX Cache Agent.

For a particular check-out operation, you can see how many files are being sent by StarTeam Server directly and how many are being sent by MPX Cache Agent by displaying the check-out statistics.

To monitor check-out statistics using MPX Cache Agent, do the following:

  1. Select the files to be checked out.

  2. Click File > Check Out.

    The Check Out dialog box opens.

  3. Select the Show Checkout Statistics check box.
  4. Choose any other option settings that are appropriate to your check-out operation.
  5. Click OK.

  6. During the check out process, you will see a dialog which indicates the file names and the location from which they are coming (StarTeam Server or MPX Cache Agent).

    After the operation completes, the Checkout Statistics dialog box provides a summary.

Note: From some IDEs, you can also Show Checkout Statistics.

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