Can i use System.Runtime.Caching.MemoryCache in cloud web role project?

Question

I would like to use System.Runtime.Caching.MemoryCache in Web role project which contains WCF Service.

Can anybody please let me know that whether we can use System.Runtime.Caching.MemoryCache in Cloud web role project?

If yes please let me know Memory and other constraints.

Answer 1

Yes you can.

You should add the reference to System.Runtime.Caching to the Web Role project, then use something like the code below (it is doing almost nothing and is not a best practice, for sure).

Just tried it with ASP.NET MVC in the Cloud Web Role with the Azure Emulator and it works.

Regarding limits - there are two CacheMemoryLimit and PhysicalMemoryLimit properties you can use for retrieve the needed values. It shows the limit in bytes. I do not know if there are any limits beyond these in terms of in-memory cache in Azure Cloud Services.

private static object _lock = new Object();
    private static MemoryCache _cache = new MemoryCache("ThisIsMyCache");

    public static object GetItem(string key)
    {
        lock (_lock)
        {
            var item = _cache.Get(key);
            if (item == null)
            {
                item = InitiaizeItem(key);
                _cache.Set(key, item, new CacheItemPolicy());
            }
            return item;
        }
    }

    private static object InitiaizeItem(string key)
    {            
        return new { Value = key };
    }