Prequel: Distributed Caching for the Masses

Prequel is an Open Source implementation of the Microsoft PeerDist distributed caching system, also known as BranchCache. PeerDist is a simple WAN Acceleration system that can make SMB2 and HTTP run faster over wide area networks, but there are lots of other ways to leverage a distributed cache. The techniques used are related those used in data deduplication and in tools like rsync. In this presentation, we will discuss the internals of the Prequel implementation, including the problems we faced head-on (and stared down) plus the few that still keep us awake at night. We will also cover: * The integration of Prequel with SMB2 and HTTP servers. * The integration of Prequel with file systems and other in-kernel subsystems. * Leveraging distributed caching in the cloud and across wide area networks. * Prequel and PeerDist documentation

Learning Objectives

Internals of PeerDist protocols
Design and limitations of the Prequel implementation
Integrating Prequel features into existing services