TileCache is caching system that caches a Web Map Service (WMS) at a discrete set of map resolutions. Sometimes two (or more) WMS caches working at different sets of map resolutions are needed, and a possible solution can be running two (or more) instances of TileCache.
In first section we briefly introduce WMS caches and TileCache.
In the second section, it is seen why running two instances of TileCache it is needed. We have created a dynamic map, based on the OpenLayers library, which is inserted in a web page. Depending on client display resolution, the map can be shown cropped. To avoid it, on map initialization its resolution (map units per pixel) is changed in function of client display resolution. A side effect of this solution is that in case the WMS layers are cached, we will need to run more than one instance of TileCache.
In the third section we show how to install and configure one instance of TileCache on a Linux server.
Finally, in the fourth section the previous setup is generalized to install two instances of TileCache.
1. About WMS caches and TileCache
Rendering WMS images is a computer intensive task, usually resulting in high load times on client side. Thus, WMS cache systems, that store and send already rendered images as response to WMS GetMap requests, are of interest for two resasons: on server side the rendering work already done by the computer is reused, and on client side load times decrease by orders of magnitude.
WMS caches are conceptually very similar to other types of caches. When a WMS GetMap request is received by a WMS cache, a cache hit or a cache miss will happen. In case of cache hit, the requested image is already rendered and stored in the WMS cache and it is sent to the requesting client. In case of cache miss, the requested image is not present in the WMS cache, so (a) the request is forwarded to the WMS server, (b) the WMS server renders the image, (c) the rendered image is sent to the WMS cache, (d) the rendered image is sent to client and (e) it is also stored in the WMS cache. Note that it is assumed that clients must always send all their WMS requests to the WMS cache, not to the WMS server.
syndicate
