Add extension method to help set DI injectable MemoryCache with enabled statistics tracking ability

[maryamariyan]

With #50406, we added IMemoryCache.GetCurrentStatistics() API, which helps us track statistics such as cache hits, misses, cache count and size for IMemoryCache. This capability is turned off by default.

The new GetCurrentStatistics() API allows app developers to use either event counters or metrics APIs to track statistics with code snippets illustrated in this gist.

In this issue we would want to add an extension method using ServiceCollection to add a MemoryCache with statistics tracking enabled.

namespace Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection
{
    public static partial class MemoryCacheServiceCollectionExtensions
    {
         public IServiceCollection AddDistributedMemoryCache(this IServiceCollection services, Action<MemoryDistributedCacheOptions> setupAction) { }
         public static IServiceCollection AddMemoryCache(this IServiceCollection services) { }
         public static IServiceCollection AddMemoryCache(this IServiceCollection services, Action<MemoryCacheOptions> setupAction) { }
+        public static IServiceCollection AddStatisticsTrackingMemoryCache(this IServiceCollection services) { }
     }
}

Alternative design

We could make the default behaviour for both existing AddMemoryCache API overloads to always configure MemoryCacheOptions with TrackStatistics set to enabled by default:

AddMemoryCache(this IServiceCollection services)
{
    services.AddOptions();
    services.TryAdd(ServiceDesciptor.Singleon<IMemoryCache, MemoryCache>());
    services.Configure(opt => { opt.TrackStatistics=true; });
    // when a Name API is available we'd also set a default name for this cache
    return services;
}

Benefit with this design it that it helps take zero code changes/no rebuild/no redeploy for devs to get stats on the cache created by AddMemoryCache() in dotnet-counters.

The downside of this alternative design is that it adds an element of surprise to the AddMemoryCache API for those who assumed it should configure default MemoryCacheOptions, by default setting TrackStatistics bool flag to false.

There is prior precedence in extensions libraries, e.g. with AddConsole and AddSimpleConsole/AddJsonConsole etc. where AddConsole configures options with default value but e.g. AddSimpleConsole would configure similarly but also set formatter name to simple.

Goal

This issue is part of multi step process to provide a great user experience for tracking statistics for memory cache.

• Step 1 (tracked in Let consumers of MemoryCache access metrics #50406): Implement the basic APIs that makes it possible (not necessarily easy) for devs to get stats about a cache and record them somewhere. (The How-To is explained in this gist).
• Step 2 (tracked in Allow developers to use built-in meters for tracking stats on caches #67770): Add support for cache names, a built-in Meter, and a default naming convention for the cache created by either AddStatisticsTrackingMemoryCache() in M.E.C or AddMemoryCache given that its default behaviour has tracking enabled.

For more information refer to #66479 (comment)

cc @noahfalk @davidfowl

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Issue Details

---

With #50406, we added IMemoryCache.GetCurrentStatistics() API, which helps us track statistics such as cache hits, misses, cache count and size for IMemoryCache. This capability is turned off by default.

The new GetCurrentStatistics() API allows app developers to use either event counters or metrics APIs to track statistics with code snippets illustrated in this gist.

In this issue we would want to add an extension method using ServiceCollection to add a MemoryCache with statistics tracking enabled.

namespace Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection
{
    public static partial class MemoryCacheServiceCollectionExtensions
    {
         public IServiceCollection AddDistributedMemoryCache(this IServiceCollection services, Action<MemoryDistributedCacheOptions> setupAction) { }
         public static IServiceCollection AddMemoryCache(this IServiceCollection services) { }
         public static IServiceCollection AddMemoryCache(this IServiceCollection services, Action<MemoryCacheOptions> setupAction) { }
+        public static IServiceCollection AddStatisticsTrackingMemoryCache(this IServiceCollection services) { }
     }
}

Alternative design

We could make the default behaviour for both existing AddMemoryCache API overloads to always configure MemoryCacheOptions with TrackStatistics set to enabled by default:

AddMemoryCache(this IServiceCollection services)
{
    services.AddOptions();
    services.TryAdd(ServiceDesciptor.Singleon<IMemoryCache, MemoryCache>());
    services.Configure(opt => { opt.TrackStatistics=true; });
    // when a Name API is available we'd also set a default name for this cache
    return services;
}

Benefit with this design it that it helps take zero code changes/no rebuild/no redeploy for devs to get stats on the cache created by AddMemoryCache() in dotnet-counters.

The downside of this alternative design is that it adds an element of surprise to the AddMemoryCache API for those who assumed it should configure default MemoryCacheOptions, by default setting TrackStatistics bool flag to false.

There is prior precedence in extensions libraries, e.g. with AddConsole and AddSimpleConsole/AddJsonConsole etc. where AddConsole configures options with default value but e.g. AddSimpleConsole would configure similarly but also set formatter name to simple.

Goal

This issue is part of multi step process to provide a great user experience for tracking statistics for memory cache.

• Step 1 (tracked in Let consumers of MemoryCache access metrics #50406): Implement the basic APIs that makes it possible (not necessarily easy) for devs to get stats about a cache and record them somewhere. (The How-To is explained in this gist).
• Step 2 (tracked in XXX): Add support for cache names, a built-in Meter, and a default naming convention for the cache created by either AddStatisticsTrackingMemoryCache() in M.E.C or AddMemoryCache given that its default behaviour has tracking enabled.

Author:	maryamariyan
Assignees:	-
Labels:	untriaged, area-Extensions-Caching
Milestone:	-

[noahfalk]

I think adding a new API largely defeats the purpose. The goal is that users will be able to get the stats for the cache created by AddMemoryCache() without needing to modify their code. Creating a new API and asking users to use it changes this back into an explicit opt-in that will be easy for users to miss until the day comes they want to see those stats. At that point it is generally very inconvenient to rebuild and redeploy their application with changes to enable these stats.

[adamsitnik]

I agree with @noahfalk. Since this issue has received 0 comments or upvotes from our customers I am going to close the issue. Thanks!