Creating simple data grids

With a simple data grid, you can perform create, retrieve, update and delete operations. In particular, you can use the simple data grid to allow faster access to data that is stored in a database.

Before you begin

You can use simple data grids with WebSphere® Application Server or with a stand-alone Java application. The WebSphere eXtreme Scale Client must be installed in either scenario.

About this task

You can use simple data grids to speed up dynamic Web applications by alleviating database load. You can store key-value pairs of arbitrary data in-memory, reducing expensive database queries. The keys can be of any existing Java type, such as java.lang.String or Integer. The values can be any serializable object type. Every time data is needed, the simple data grid on the appliance is checked first. If the appliance does not have the data, the data is retrieved from the database and inserted into the simple data grid. You can create a simple data grid by writing an application that uses the ObjectMap API.

Procedure

  1. Create the simple data grid. In the user interface, click Data Grid > Simple Data Grid. Click the add icon (add icon ) and specify a name for the simple data grid that you want to create. The following characters cannot be used in the name of the data grid: ^ . \\ / , # $ @ : ; \ * ? < > | = + & % [ ] " ".
  2. Download the objectgrid.xml file for your simple data grid. In the configuration for the simple data grid that you created, click the download icon (download icon) and save the file to your local file system.
  3. Create a Java application using the ObjectMap API that accesses the data grid.

What to do next

Configure security before you begin to send data to the data grid. See Securing data grids for more information.