Configure Redis cache

3 minute read

For better performance and scalability, you can configure API Portal to cache APIs in a Redis cache. Using a Redis cache is recommended if you plan to expose hundreds of APIs, or you plan to connect API Portal to more than one API Manager.

Prerequisites

Before you configure API Portal to cache APIs in a Redis cache you must install at least one of the following Redis options:

• Install Redis server.
• Install Redis PHP extension on Red Hat 7 (RHEL 7) using RHSCL.
• Install Redis PHP extension on CentOS 7 or RHEL 8 using EPEL/Remi.

Install Redis server

To install Redis server, download a Redis 5 or 6 server from Redis.io.

Install Redis PHP extension on Red Hat 7 (RHEL 7) using RHSCL

Follow these steps to install a Redis PHP extension on RHEL 7:

1. Enable rhel-server-rhscl-7-rpms and rhel-7-server-optional-rpms repositories from RHSCL:

   sudo subscription-manager repos --enable rhel-server-rhscl-7-rpms
   sudo subscription-manager repos --enable rhel-7-server-optional-rpms
   sudo yum clean all
   

2. Install rh-php73-php-devel and rh-php73-php-pear to enable pecl (which manages external PHP modules) and phpize (which will build redis PHP module)`:

   sudo yum install rh-php73-php-devel rh-php73-php-pear
   sudo ln -s $(which pecl) /usr/bin
   

3. Install and enable redis PHP module:

   sudo pecl install redis
   echo "extension=redis.so" | sudo tee -a /etc/opt/rh/rh-php73/php.d/30-redis.ini
   

4. Verify redis PHP module was successfully enabled:

   php -m | grep redis
   

5. Restart Apache:

   sudo systemctl restart httpd24-httpd
   

6. (Optional) Remove rh-php73-php-devel and rh-php73-php-pear:

   sudo yum remove rh-php73-php-devel rh-php73-php-pear
   

Install Redis PHP extension on CentOS 7 or RHEL 8 using EPEL/Remi

Follow these steps to install a Redis PHP extension on CentOS 7 or RHEL 8:

1. Install redis5 PHP module:

   sudo yum install php-pecl-redis5
   

2. Verify redis PHP module is enabled:

   php -m | grep redis
   

3. Restart Apache:

   sudo systemctl restart httpd
   

Enable Redis in API Portal

After you have successfully installed Redis, you must enable it in JAI:

1. In the Joomla! Administrator Interface (JAI), click System > Global Configuration > System.
2. On the Cache configuration section, set Cache Handler to Redis.
3. Review and update the other settings if necessary.
4. Click Save.

Additional cache settings in API Portal

To change how long data is preserved in the cache:

1. In the JAI, click Components > API Portal > Additional Settings.
2. In Cache Timeout, enter how long (in seconds) APIs are preserved in the cache.
3. Click Save.

Use the Purge cache button to clear the cache at any time.

Verify Redis installation

To verify that Redis is being used by API Portal, refresh the API Catalog page and enter the following command:

redis-cli keys *_apicatalog

Further Redis configuration

You have learned how to install a basic Redis server, with no authentication or replication. For more advanced configuration, see Redis documentation.