A default cache vault (defaultuploadvault) is created on the local system during the startup of a new or migrated Windchill system. The default cache vault enables files to be uploaded faster for certain applications if you have not set up a custom cache vault.

The defaultuploadvault is initially located in the following temporary directory:

The defaultuploadvault vault is the replica vault that is designated as the out-of-the-box cache and is where default master uploads will occur (with certain exceptions). It may also be designated as the default target for the site, which is primarily used for predictive and ad hoc replication (for example, in the absence of replication rules).

A default system vault (named defaultsystemvault, with a type of FvVault), while out-of-the-box enabled, is created on the master site when the wt.fv.useVaultsForAllContent property is set to true (which is the default value). In that case, content that does not have applicable vaulting rules is stored in defaultsystemvault. (If the property is set to false, content without applicable vaulting rules is stored in database BLOBs.) In other words, while you have the option of creating and designating particular vaults for the uploading and revaulting of content according to scheduled revaulting or a file synchronization process, the system is ready out-of-the-box to handle content uploads with the defaultuploadvault vault and ready for revaulting with the defaultsystemvault vault.

To relocate a vault by relocating its folder:

For more information about folders and mounts, see About Mounts.

Though the defaultuploadvault vault can be used for file storage just like any other vault, you typically use vaulting rules to designate a different vault or the Windchill database for long-term file storage. In that case, files uploaded to the defaultuploadvault vault are revaulted to their designated storage location. File synchronization is a prerequisite for the revaulting or replication of content files. For more information, see File Synchronization.

Files are uploaded to the defaultuploadvault vault and the content is revaulted according to established file vaulting rules during the next scheduled revaulting session. PTC recommends purging unreferenced files from the cache vault at the end of the backup procedure.

Because a cache vault accumulates unreferenced files more quickly than other vaults on a site, regular file cleanup is necessary. For more information about vault cleanup, see the Maintaining Your Vaults section in Windchill Vault Configuration.

A scheduler object created at startup periodically executes to clean up unreferenced database information. In the wt.properties file, the wt.fv.purgeUnreferencedFvItemsInterval property controls the timing of the vault purging (the default is daily) and the wt.fv.purgeUnreferencedFvItemsOlderThan property controls the age of unreferenced objects to be purged (the default is 30 days). You can modify the values of these properties to suit your requirements.

If you are not setting properties through a graphical user interface or in a mapping rules file, you add or edit properties with the xconfmanager utility. For more information, see Using the xconfmanager Utility.

Set the wt.fv.faultTolerantVaultsAutoRestore property to true to enable the use of local backup vault as cache vault. Only one local backup vault is allowed across all sites, and this vault must be on the master site.

When wt.fv.faultTolerantVaultsAutoRestore=true, Windchill creates a background job to restore the original cache vault from its read-only state automatically. Use the following properties to configure the background job:

The background job runs every 5 minutes for 12 times by default. During this time, if the cache vault is not restored automatically, an email notification is generated. An administrator should restore the original cache vault manually. Refer to File Vault Alerts for details on email notification. When the original cache vault is restored to read-write state, either automatically or manually, local backup vault stops acting as cache vault. The files uploaded to local backup vault are synced to target vaults automatically.