Understanding and Addressing "Soft-Locked Cache Entry" Log Message in On-Premise Deployments

Introduction: In On-Premise deployments, you might notice a log message saying: "A soft-locked cache entry was expired by the underlying cache. If this happens regularly you should consider increasing the cache timeouts and/or capacity limits." This article provides insights into this log message, offers initial analysis, and guides your next steps.

Understanding the Log Message and Initial Analysis: The log message you're encountering is not a critical error but rather an informative notification. It originates from the EhCache library and highlights the expiration of a soft-locked cache item due to its timeout. This occurrence doesn't necessarily indicate an immediate degradation in performance. Essentially, it's a part of EhCache's cache eviction process, alerting you that a cache item, previously safeguarded from eviction, has been removed due to reaching its timeout threshold.

Assessment and Next Steps:

1. Monitor Performance: Keep an eye on system performance after seeing the log message. While the message itself isn't a red flag, any observed performance decline could offer insights.

2. Contact Support: If performance noticeably drops, consider reaching out to support. Provide:

   • Performance Context: Explain where you notice performance decline most. This helps support understand the situation.
   • Log Message Occurrence: Tell whether the log messages consistently appear or only in specific situations. If the latter, provide details.
   • Your Setup: Mention if you use high-availability (HA) or a single instance. Configuration matters.

Conclusion: Spotting the "soft-locked cache entry" log message in On-Premise deployments isn't an immediate worry. Instead, stay cautious, watch performance, and connect with support if you detect issues. Supplying details about performance contexts, log message occurrences, and your deployment configuration helps the support team efficiently address any concerns. The ultimate goal is to keep your system performing optimally and reliably.