---
title: Soft Reference Entry Cache
description: The Soft Reference Entry Cache is a directory server entry cache implementation that uses soft references to manage objects to allow them to be freed if the JVM is running low on memory.
component: pingds
version: 8.1
page_id: pingds:configref:objects-soft-reference-entry-cache
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingds/8.1/configref/objects-soft-reference-entry-cache.html
section_ids:
  parent: Parent
  soft_reference_entry_cache_properties: Soft Reference Entry Cache properties
  basic_properties: Basic properties
  cache-level: cache-level
  enabled: enabled
  exclude-filter: exclude-filter
  include-filter: include-filter
  advanced_properties: Advanced properties
  java-class: java-class
  lock-timeout: lock-timeout
---

# Soft Reference Entry Cache

The Soft Reference Entry Cache is a directory server entry cache implementation that uses soft references to manage objects to allow them to be freed if the JVM is running low on memory.

## Parent

The Soft Reference Entry Cache object inherits from [Entry Cache](objects-entry-cache.html).

## Soft Reference Entry Cache properties

You can use configuration expressions to set property values at startup time. For details, see [Property value substitution](expressions.html).

| Basic Properties                                                                                                    | Advanced Properties                                     |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| [cache-level](#cache-level) [enabled](#enabled) [exclude-filter](#exclude-filter) [include-filter](#include-filter) | [java-class](#java-class) [lock-timeout](#lock-timeout) |

### Basic properties

Use the `--advanced` option to access advanced properties.

### cache-level

|                         |                                                                                                    |
| ----------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| *Synopsis*              | Specifies the cache level in the cache order if more than one instance of the cache is configured. |
| *Default value*         | None                                                                                               |
| *Allowed values*        | An integer.Lower limit: 1.                                                                         |
| *Multi-valued*          | No                                                                                                 |
| *Required*              | Yes                                                                                                |
| *Admin action required* | None                                                                                               |
| *Advanced*              | No                                                                                                 |
| *Read-only*             | No                                                                                                 |

### enabled

|                         |                                               |
| ----------------------- | --------------------------------------------- |
| *Synopsis*              | Indicates whether the Entry Cache is enabled. |
| *Default value*         | None                                          |
| *Allowed values*        | truefalse                                     |
| *Multi-valued*          | No                                            |
| *Required*              | Yes                                           |
| *Admin action required* | None                                          |
| *Advanced*              | No                                            |
| *Read-only*             | No                                            |

### exclude-filter

|                         |                                                                                    |
| ----------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| *Synopsis*              | The set of filters that define the entries that should be excluded from the cache. |
| *Default value*         | None                                                                               |
| *Allowed values*        | A string.                                                                          |
| *Multi-valued*          | Yes                                                                                |
| *Required*              | No                                                                                 |
| *Admin action required* | None                                                                               |
| *Advanced*              | No                                                                                 |
| *Read-only*             | No                                                                                 |

### include-filter

|                         |                                                                                  |
| ----------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| *Synopsis*              | The set of filters that define the entries that should be included in the cache. |
| *Default value*         | None                                                                             |
| *Allowed values*        | A string.                                                                        |
| *Multi-valued*          | Yes                                                                              |
| *Required*              | No                                                                               |
| *Admin action required* | None                                                                             |
| *Advanced*              | No                                                                               |
| *Read-only*             | No                                                                               |

## Advanced properties

Use the `--advanced` option to access advanced properties.

### java-class

|                         |                                                                                                                   |
| ----------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| *Synopsis*              | Specifies the fully-qualified name of the Java class that provides the Soft Reference Entry Cache implementation. |
| *Default value*         | org.opends.server.extensions.SoftReferenceEntryCache                                                              |
| *Allowed values*        | A Java class that extends or implements:- org.opends.server.api.EntryCache                                        |
| *Multi-valued*          | No                                                                                                                |
| *Required*              | Yes                                                                                                               |
| *Admin action required* | The object must be disabled and re-enabled for changes to take effect.                                            |
| *Advanced*              | Yes                                                                                                               |
| *Read-only*             | No                                                                                                                |

### lock-timeout

|                         |                                                                                                                        |
| ----------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| *Synopsis*              | Specifies the length of time in milliseconds to wait while attempting to acquire a read or write lock.                 |
| *Default value*         | 3000ms                                                                                                                 |
| *Allowed values*        | Uses [duration syntax](duration-syntax.html).Use "unlimited" or "-1" to indicate no limit.Lower limit: 0 milliseconds. |
| *Multi-valued*          | No                                                                                                                     |
| *Required*              | No                                                                                                                     |
| *Admin action required* | None                                                                                                                   |
| *Advanced*              | Yes                                                                                                                    |
| *Read-only*             | No                                                                                                                     |