# Cache

PostLab Drive uses a cache file to manage and serve data. This cache acts as a warehouse:

* When downloading a file, its chunks are stored in the warehouse, ready to be served to your NLE.
* When you upload a file, it's moved into the warehouse, broken down into chunks, ready for transport as soon as there's bandwidth available.
* Once the warehouse is full, and there's room needed, the oldest chunks are removed from cache.
* Once there's room, new file chunks are brought in.

## Preferences

<figure><img src="/files/DPjQeG5sTaYN3y3OI8OG" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Cache Location

[Set `Current location` to a folder on a dedicated SSD or NVMe, internal or external.](#best-practices)

PostLab Drive creates a `.drivecache` bundle in `Current location` for each Drive and Workspace you connect.

{% hint style="danger" %}
Do not use drives with spinning platter disks (measured in RPMs) or solid-state hybrid drives (e.g. SSHD's or Fusion Drives) for your `Cache Location`.
{% endhint %}

### Cache Size

If PostLab Drive's cache file is like a warehouse, this is where you specify how big the warehouse will be. You do this by specifying the `Current cache size` on your local Mac.

Set the `Current cache size` by:

1. Using the slider
2. Entering a value in GB

You can set the Cache Size up to 10000 GB, or 10 TB.

## Applying Changes to Drive

Changes are applied the next time you connect to your Team's Drive. If you change Drive's preferences while a Drive is connected, eject Drive, modify the desired preferences, then reconnect Drive to apply your changes.

{% hint style="info" %}
Drive's Preferences, like all PostLab Preferences, are configured and applied locally to the Mac you're using. This is true even if you belong to multiple Teams and use PostLab on multiple Macs.
{% endhint %}

## Moving A Cache

If your Drive’s Cache Location is low on space, and you wish to enlarge Drive’s cache so more files stay locally cached:

1. Quit PostLab.
2. Move the `.drivecache` file to [an external SSD or NVMe disk.](#best-practices)
3. Launch PostLab, then go to `Preferences... > Drive`.
4. Set the Cache Location to the new disk, then increase the cache size.
5. Connect Drive.

If you cannot connect Drive after moving the existing `.drivecache` bundle, delete all `.drivecache` bundles for your Drive or Workspaces, reconnect Drive, and PostLab will generate a new one.

{% hint style="info" %}
If you move or copy an existing `.drivecache` with [pinned Bookmarks](/postlab-classic/drive/pinning.md) from one Mac to another, any pinned content will also transfer to the destination Mac. The Team Member on the destination Mac will need an external drive that matches or exceeds the size of the transferred `.drivecache`, and may need to change their [Drive's Cache Size](#cache-size).
{% endhint %}

## Best Practices

* Cache files need lots of random IOPS, so don't use a spinning disk or a RAID with spinning disks. Any SSD will do, though. If Drive is essential to your workflow, [we recommend using a dedicated SSD or NVMe disk, whether internal or external over Thunderbolt 3/4.](/postlab-classic/drive/faq.md#what-disk-should-i-use-for-drives-cache-location)
* The bigger the cache size, the better. A larger Drive cache means less data redownloading over time. Your cache can never be too big so feel free to set the `Current cache size` to more than your free space if you use a non-system disk for caches. Drive will gracefully make cache setting changes in the background, don't worry.
* **Never** put your Drive cache on a network drive. Compared to direct-attached storage, local area network throughput has its limits.
* Uploading huge files? Make sure your cache is larger than the largest file you're uploading. Uploading a 25 GB file with a `Current cache size` of 20 GB cache will not work.


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