How to Install Memcached on Ubuntu

Memcached is a high-performance, distributed memory object caching system that enhances web application speed by reducing the load on databases. It stores frequently accessed data in memory, making it readily available for subsequent requests. Whether you’re managing a large-scale website or working on a small project, using Memcached on Ubuntu(or any linux VPS) can help optimize performance and reduce latency.

This guide provides a comprehensive step-by-step tutorial on how to install and configure Memcached on an Ubuntu server.

Advantages of Memcached

• Improved Performance: Memcached stores frequently accessed data in memory (RAM), reducing the need to query the database repeatedly. This significantly improves the speed of data retrieval, making applications faster and more responsive.
• Scalability: Memcached can handle a large volume of requests and scale horizontally across multiple servers.
• Reduced Database Load: By caching data, Memcached reduces the number of queries sent to the database. This decreases the load on the database server, preventing bottlenecks during peak traffic and improving overall system stability.
• Efficient Memory Usage: Memcached uses a very efficient memory management system. It stores data in a key-value format, using dynamic memory allocation to avoid unnecessary memory waste.

Prerequisites

• A linux VPS.
• A user with sudo privilege.

Steps to install Memcached on Ubuntu

1: Update Your System

It’s always recommended to update your system’s package list before starting any new installation to avoid compatibility issues. Run the following command to update the package list:

sudo apt update

This will fetch the latest information about available software packages.

2: Install Memcached

Once the system is updated, you can install Memcached and the libmemcached-tools, a set of utilities used for interacting with Memcached, using the command below:

sudo apt install memcached libmemcached-tools

3: Verify Memcached Installation

After the installation is complete, you can verify that Memcached is installed and running by checking its status:

systemctl status memcached

If Memcached is active, you should see an output indicating it is running.

4: Configure Memcached

By default, Memcached is configured to listen on localhost (127.0.0.1) on port 11211. This configuration works for local caching only. If you need to allow remote access or customize settings like memory usage, you can modify the configuration file located at /etc/memcached.conf.

To edit the configuration, open the file in a text editor:

sudo nano /etc/memcached.conf

Key Configurations:

• Memory Usage: Adjust the memory limit by changing the value after the -m option (default is 64MB).
  Example:

-m 128

• Listen Address: To allow external access, change the listening address from 127.0.0.1 to 0.0.0.0.
• Port: Memcached listens on port 11211 by default, but you can change this if needed by modifying the -p option.

-p 11212

After making the necessary changes, save and close the file .

5: Restart Memcached Service

Once you’ve made changes to the configuration, restart Memcached to apply the new settings:

systemctl restart memcached

6: Firewall Configuration (Optional)

If your server’s firewall is enabled and you need to allow remote access to Memcached, you must open the Memcached port (11211 by default).

How to Test Memcached on Ubuntu

You can test if Memcached is working correctly by running the following command:

echo "stats settings" | nc localhost 11211

This will return detailed statistics about your Memcached setup, confirming that it is operational.

Auto-Start Memcached on Boot (Optional)

To ensure Memcached starts automatically after a reboot, you can enable it by running.

systemctl enable memcached

What port does Memcached use by default??

Memcached listens on port 11211 by default, but you can change this if needed by editing the configuration file /etc/memcached.conf.

Conclusion

Memcached is a powerful and efficient caching tool that can significantly speed up your website or application by reducing the load on your database. By following this guide, you have successfully installed and configured Memcached on Ubuntu, optimized for your specific needs. Make sure to monitor your caching performance regularly and adjust memory settings to best suit your workload.