Cache Manager

The Cache Manager is a critical software component within an Index Database system responsible for managing the cache memory. It optimizes data access speeds by storing frequently accessed or recently used index data and query results in fast-access memory (RAM), reducing the need to read from slower primary storage (like disk). It handles cache allocation, data invalidation, replacement policies (e.g., LRU - Least Recently Used), and ensures data consistency between the cache and the main database.

The Cache Manager operates by intercepting data read requests from the database engine. It first checks if the requested data (e.g., an index block or query result set) is present in the cache. If it is (a cache hit), it returns the data immediately. If not (a cache miss), it fetches the data from the primary storage, stores a copy in the cache according to its configured policies (size, eviction rules), and then returns it. It continuously monitors access patterns to keep the most valuable data cached and invalidates stale data when the underlying index is updated.