NCache for Windows

Run high-performance distributed caching natively on Windows Server for both legacy .NET Framework and modern .NET applications. NCache is a native .NET distributed cache designed for enterprise applications that need greater performance, scalability, and high availability without requiring organizations to move away from their existing Windows infrastructure.

Whether your applications run on physical servers, virtual machines, Windows Containers, or Windows Server VMs in Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud, NCache provides a Windows-native caching platform that fits naturally into your existing application architecture, security model, administration practices, and operational environment.

Native .NET Support on Windows

NCache is built on .NET and is designed to work naturally with applications running on Windows.

• Ideal for .NET Framework Applications: NCache is a natural fit for .NET Framework 4.0–4.8 applications running on Windows Server. Organizations can add distributed caching to existing business-critical applications without changing their underlying Windows architecture.
• Built for Modern .NET Applications: NCache is equally well suited for modern .NET 6+ applications running on Windows Server. Applications can use standard .NET caching interfaces and the richer NCache API for distributed caching, high availability, synchronization, messaging, and other advanced capabilities.

  dotnet add package Alachisoft.NCache.SDK

• Legacy and Modern .NET Together: Organizations can support both .NET Framework and modern .NET applications within the same Windows environment and use NCache as a common distributed caching platform across both generations of applications.

This allows organizations to modernize Windows applications incrementally instead of requiring a major application or infrastructure migration.

Native Windows Installer

NCache provides a native Windows installation experience that fits naturally into enterprise Windows administration and software deployment practices.

• Interactive MSI Installation: Administrators can install NCache using the standard Windows MSI installer for development, test, smaller deployments, and environments where graphical installation is preferred.
• Silent and Command-Line Installation: NCache can be installed silently from the command line, making it suitable for enterprise software deployment, automated server provisioning, cloud VM deployment, and repeatable development and test environments.
• PowerShell and Scripted Deployment: Installation and configuration can be incorporated into PowerShell-based deployment workflows used throughout Windows environments.
• Windows Platform Support: NCache supports Windows 11, Windows Server, and Windows Server Core, allowing the same NCache to be used across developer workstations and production environments.

// Do this on each NCache server Windows Server VM.
msiexec /i "ncache-5.3.800.msi" KEY=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX /qn

// Deploy NCache Client on your app servers for client monitoring and OutProc Client Cache
msiexec /i "ncache-5.3.800.msi" KEY=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX INSTALL=Client /qn

// Create a stand-alone local cache with 2GB size and performance limits
msiexec /i "ncache-5.3.800.msi" KEY=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX INSTALL=Developer /qn

On-Premises and Cloud Windows Deployments

NCache can run wherever your Windows applications run. Organizations can deploy NCache on traditional Windows Server infrastructure, virtualized environments, Windows Containers, or Windows Server VMs in the major public clouds.

• Windows Server and Windows Server Core: Deploy NCache on Windows Server with Desktop Experience or Windows Server Core depending on your organization's operational requirements. A Nano Server-based NCache container image is coming.
• Physical Servers: Deploy NCache directly on physical Windows Servers in traditional enterprise data centers.
• VMware and Hyper-V: Run NCache on Windows Server virtual machines under VMware or Microsoft Hyper-V using the same architecture and administration model as physical Windows deployments.
• Windows Containers: Deploy NCache using Windows Containers for organizations adopting container-based application architectures while continuing to standardize on Windows.
• Microsoft Azure: Deploy NCache on Windows Server VMs alongside Windows-based application servers inside the same Azure virtual network.
• Amazon Web Services: Run NCache on Microsoft Windows Server instances in Amazon EC2 alongside Windows-based .NET applications.
• Google Cloud: Deploy NCache on Windows Server VMs alongside Windows application servers running in Google Cloud.

This provides a consistent Windows-based distributed caching platform across on-premises infrastructure and all major public clouds.

Enterprise Windows Security

NCache integrates with security technologies commonly used in enterprise Windows environments, allowing organizations to introduce distributed caching without creating a separate security model.

• Active Directory and LDAP Integration: NCache integrates with Microsoft Active Directory and LDAP so organizations can use their existing enterprise identities and directory infrastructure to secure NCache environments.
• Windows Identity and gMSA Support: NCache supports Windows identity-based environments, including Group Managed Service Accounts (gMSA), allowing service identities to be centrally managed without manually maintaining service-account passwords.
• TLS and mTLS: NCache supports TLS encryption and mutual TLS for securing communications between applications, NCache servers, and administrative components.
• Windows Certificate Store: On Windows Server, NCache can use certificates maintained through the native Windows Certificate Store, allowing organizations to continue using existing Windows certificate management and enterprise PKI practices.

Windows-Native Administration

NCache fits into the Windows administration environment already familiar to enterprise infrastructure and operations teams. Administrators can use standard Windows management technologies alongside NCache management tools, including:

• Windows Admin Center: Remotely administer Windows Servers running NCache using Microsoft's browser-based server management environment.
• Server Manager: Use standard Windows Server management capabilities for server roles, features, configuration, and administrative tasks.
• PowerShell: Configure and manage NCache through PowerShell, including creating and configuring caches, starting and stopping caches, managing cache servers, configuring security, and automating deployments.
• Services.msc: View and manage NCache Windows services through the standard Windows Services management console.
• Certificate MMC: Manage certificates used by NCache through the familiar Windows Certificate MMC snap-in and Windows Certificate Store.
• Computer Management: Use standard Windows administrative tools for server, storage, service, event, and system management.
• WMI and Windows Management Tools: Incorporate Windows system information and management capabilities into existing administrative and automation workflows.

This allows NCache to become part of the existing Windows operating model rather than requiring administrators to learn an entirely different infrastructure platform.

Windows-Native Monitoring

NCache integrates with familiar Windows monitoring technologies while also providing dedicated tools for monitoring distributed cache environments.

• Windows Performance Monitor: NCache publishes performance information through Windows Performance Monitor counters. Administrators can monitor cache operations, throughput, cache size, client activity, server utilization, request rates, and other runtime behavior using the same PerfMon infrastructure already used for Windows applications and servers.
• Windows Event Log: NCache records important operational and system events in the native Windows Event Log, including startup and shutdown activity, warnings, errors, configuration changes, cluster activity, and other runtime conditions. These events can also be collected by centralized monitoring and SIEM systems.
• NCache Monitoring and Management Tools: NCache provides dedicated tools for monitoring cache servers, connected clients, cluster activity, throughput, memory usage, cache operations, and other important performance information from a centralized view.

Together, these capabilities allow NCache monitoring to fit naturally into existing Windows operations while providing the cache-specific visibility required for distributed environments.

Modernize without Moving off Windows

Application modernization does not necessarily require organizations to move their infrastructure to Linux. Enterprises with significant investments in Windows Server and .NET can modernize their applications while continuing to use their existing Windows platform, operational processes, security infrastructure, and administrator expertise.

• Modernize Legacy .NET Framework Applications Incrementally: Existing .NET Framework applications can add distributed caching, distributed session state, database synchronization, messaging, and high availability without first being rewritten or moved to another operating system. NCache can support both legacy .NET Framework and modern .NET applications in the same environment, allowing individual application components to modernize at different speeds.
• Move Toward Modern Windows Application Architectures: Organizations can evolve from traditional Windows Server deployments toward Windows Server Core and Windows Containers while continuing to use Windows as the operating platform. NCache supports Windows Server Core and Windows Container-based deployments, with a Nano Server-based container image coming soon.
• Adopt Kubernetes While Staying on Windows: Organizations moving toward container orchestration can use Windows Containers on Windows worker nodes in Kubernetes environments. This allows Windows-based applications to adopt container and orchestration architectures without requiring every workload to move to Linux.
• Move to Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud on Windows: Windows applications can move from on-premises data centers to Windows Server VMs in Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud while continuing to use NCache as the distributed caching tier. Cloud migration and application modernization can therefore happen independently.
• Retain Existing Windows Operations and Security: Teams can continue using Windows Server, Active Directory, LDAP, gMSA, PowerShell, PerfMon, Windows Event Log, Windows certificate management, enterprise monitoring systems, and their existing security and deployment processes.

NCache gives organizations a path to modernize where it provides business value without forcing an organization-wide transition away from Windows.

What to Do Next?

• NCache Details
• Installation & Deployment Guide
• Get NCache for Windows
• Request a Personalized LIVE Demo