A Terracotta Server Array enables you to create distributed caches. A distributed cache can be shared by multiple Integration Servers. Clustered Integration Servers, for example, use a distributed cache to hold data that all the Integration Servers in the cluster need to share.

When you create a distributed cache, a complete copy of the cache resides on a Terracotta Server Array. A Terracotta Server Array consists of one or more Terracotta Servers. It can cache vast amounts of data (e.g., multiple terabytes). The data in the cache is spread across the Terracotta Servers using a technique called “striping.” A Terracotta client on the Integration Server manages the interaction between the Integration Server and the cache on the Terracotta Server Array.

The Integration Servers that share a cache connect to the Terracotta Server Array to put data into the cache and retrieve data from it. Each Integration Server keeps a small portion of the cache locally, which serves as a “hot set” of recently used data and reduces trips to the Terracotta Server Array.

To use a distributed cache, your Integration Server must be equipped with a Terracotta license from Software AG.

For more information about using a distributed cache with Integration Server, see Configuring a Distributed Cache.