ZiggyCreatures · jodydonetti · Feb 17, 2022 · Jan 21, 2022 · Jan 21, 2022 · Jan 21, 2022
diff --git a/.editorconfig b/.editorconfig
@@ -115,6 +115,8 @@ csharp_space_between_method_call_empty_parameter_list_parentheses = false
 # Wrapping preferences
 csharp_preserve_single_line_statements = true
 csharp_preserve_single_line_blocks = true
+# CS1998: Async method lacks 'await' operators and will run synchronously
+dotnet_diagnostic.CS1998.severity = suggestion
 ###############################
 # VB Coding Conventions       #
 ###############################

diff --git a/LICENSE.md b/LICENSE.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ### MIT License
 
-Copyright (c) 2020-2021 Jody Donetti
+Copyright (c) 2020-2022 Jody Donetti
 
 Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
 of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
diff --git a/ZiggyCreatures.FusionCache.sln b/ZiggyCreatures.FusionCache.sln
@@ -19,13 +19,17 @@ Project("{9A19103F-16F7-4668-BE54-9A1E7A4F7556}") = "ZiggyCreatures.FusionCache.
 EndProject
 Project("{9A19103F-16F7-4668-BE54-9A1E7A4F7556}") = "ZiggyCreatures.FusionCache.Tests", "tests\ZiggyCreatures.FusionCache.Tests\ZiggyCreatures.FusionCache.Tests.csproj", "{25C0D76C-E7D2-43CC-8D0E-BECB0438527B}"
 EndProject
-Project("{9A19103F-16F7-4668-BE54-9A1E7A4F7556}") = "ZiggyCreatures.FusionCache.LoggingVisualTester", "tests\ZiggyCreatures.FusionCache.LoggingVisualTester\ZiggyCreatures.FusionCache.LoggingVisualTester.csproj", "{F29AD55C-39F3-47B3-80AE-04130DB5F1ED}"
-EndProject
 Project("{2150E333-8FDC-42A3-9474-1A3956D46DE8}") = "Solution Items", "Solution Items", "{BDC18C05-F0DF-4B40-90D8-4BE559EA0C23}"
 	ProjectSection(SolutionItems) = preProject
 		.editorconfig = .editorconfig
 	EndProjectSection
 EndProject
+Project("{9A19103F-16F7-4668-BE54-9A1E7A4F7556}") = "ZiggyCreatures.FusionCache.Playground", "tests\ZiggyCreatures.FusionCache.Playground\ZiggyCreatures.FusionCache.Playground.csproj", "{7063CEBE-CE42-4E4D-8EE6-EB719CEF2F2F}"
+EndProject
+Project("{FAE04EC0-301F-11D3-BF4B-00C04F79EFBC}") = "ZiggyCreatures.FusionCache.Backplane.Memory", "src\ZiggyCreatures.FusionCache.Backplane.Memory\ZiggyCreatures.FusionCache.Backplane.Memory.csproj", "{AEBFD35A-48BF-45ED-8AB4-F9DB1882D12D}"
+EndProject
+Project("{FAE04EC0-301F-11D3-BF4B-00C04F79EFBC}") = "ZiggyCreatures.FusionCache.Backplane.StackExchangeRedis", "src\ZiggyCreatures.FusionCache.Backplane.StackExchangeRedis\ZiggyCreatures.FusionCache.Backplane.StackExchangeRedis.csproj", "{5659A831-8170-4398-A130-D521844BB4C0}"
+EndProject
 Global
 	GlobalSection(SolutionConfigurationPlatforms) = preSolution
 		Debug|Any CPU = Debug|Any CPU
@@ -52,10 +56,18 @@ Global
 		{25C0D76C-E7D2-43CC-8D0E-BECB0438527B}.Debug|Any CPU.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
 		{25C0D76C-E7D2-43CC-8D0E-BECB0438527B}.Release|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
 		{25C0D76C-E7D2-43CC-8D0E-BECB0438527B}.Release|Any CPU.Build.0 = Release|Any CPU
-		{F29AD55C-39F3-47B3-80AE-04130DB5F1ED}.Debug|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
-		{F29AD55C-39F3-47B3-80AE-04130DB5F1ED}.Debug|Any CPU.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
-		{F29AD55C-39F3-47B3-80AE-04130DB5F1ED}.Release|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
-		{F29AD55C-39F3-47B3-80AE-04130DB5F1ED}.Release|Any CPU.Build.0 = Release|Any CPU
+		{7063CEBE-CE42-4E4D-8EE6-EB719CEF2F2F}.Debug|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
+		{7063CEBE-CE42-4E4D-8EE6-EB719CEF2F2F}.Debug|Any CPU.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
+		{7063CEBE-CE42-4E4D-8EE6-EB719CEF2F2F}.Release|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
+		{7063CEBE-CE42-4E4D-8EE6-EB719CEF2F2F}.Release|Any CPU.Build.0 = Release|Any CPU
+		{AEBFD35A-48BF-45ED-8AB4-F9DB1882D12D}.Debug|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
+		{AEBFD35A-48BF-45ED-8AB4-F9DB1882D12D}.Debug|Any CPU.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
+		{AEBFD35A-48BF-45ED-8AB4-F9DB1882D12D}.Release|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
+		{AEBFD35A-48BF-45ED-8AB4-F9DB1882D12D}.Release|Any CPU.Build.0 = Release|Any CPU
+		{5659A831-8170-4398-A130-D521844BB4C0}.Debug|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
+		{5659A831-8170-4398-A130-D521844BB4C0}.Debug|Any CPU.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
+		{5659A831-8170-4398-A130-D521844BB4C0}.Release|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
+		{5659A831-8170-4398-A130-D521844BB4C0}.Release|Any CPU.Build.0 = Release|Any CPU
 	EndGlobalSection
 	GlobalSection(SolutionProperties) = preSolution
 		HideSolutionNode = FALSE
@@ -66,7 +78,9 @@ Global
 		{ED5B2080-C706-4150-897D-59482F41BC34} = {34B53F49-F5C5-4850-B79E-59AD130379C6}
 		{EA8020A5-B936-415A-8A1B-0DC8CA7914B1} = {407E264A-43D3-4139-BF62-D505EECA36F8}
 		{25C0D76C-E7D2-43CC-8D0E-BECB0438527B} = {C6F3C570-C68C-4A95-960E-82778306BDBA}
-		{F29AD55C-39F3-47B3-80AE-04130DB5F1ED} = {C6F3C570-C68C-4A95-960E-82778306BDBA}
+		{7063CEBE-CE42-4E4D-8EE6-EB719CEF2F2F} = {C6F3C570-C68C-4A95-960E-82778306BDBA}
+		{AEBFD35A-48BF-45ED-8AB4-F9DB1882D12D} = {34B53F49-F5C5-4850-B79E-59AD130379C6}
+		{5659A831-8170-4398-A130-D521844BB4C0} = {34B53F49-F5C5-4850-B79E-59AD130379C6}
 	EndGlobalSection
 	GlobalSection(ExtensibilityGlobals) = postSolution
 		SolutionGuid = {92916FA2-FCAC-406E-BF3F-0A2CE9512EF0}

diff --git a/...hmarks/ZiggyCreatures.FusionCache.Benchmarks/ZiggyCreatures.FusionCache.Benchmarks.csproj b/...hmarks/ZiggyCreatures.FusionCache.Benchmarks/ZiggyCreatures.FusionCache.Benchmarks.csproj
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 	<ItemGroup>
 		<PackageReference Include="BenchmarkDotNet" Version="0.13.1" />
 		<PackageReference Include="CacheManager.Microsoft.Extensions.Caching.Memory" Version="1.2.0" />
-		<PackageReference Include="CacheTower" Version="0.11.3" />
+		<PackageReference Include="CacheTower" Version="0.11.6" />
 		<PackageReference Include="EasyCaching.InMemory" Version="1.2.0" />
 		<PackageReference Include="LazyCache" Version="2.4.0" />
 	</ItemGroup>

diff --git a/docs/AGentleIntroduction.md b/docs/AGentleIntroduction.md
@@ -4,13 +4,16 @@
 
 </div>
 
-# :unicorn: A Gentle Introduction
 
-FusionCache is an easy to use, high performance and robust **multi-level cache** with some advanced features.
+# 🦄 A Gentle Introduction
 
-It uses a memory cache (any impl of the standard `IMemoryCache` interface) as the **primary** backing store and optionally a distributed, 2nd level cache (any impl of the standard `IDistributedCache` interface) as a **secondary** backing store for better resilience and higher performance, for example in a multi-node scenario or to avoid the typical effects of a cold start (initial empty cache, maybe after a restart).
+FusionCache is an easy to use, high performance and robust cache with an optional distributed 2nd layer and some advanced features.
 
-FusionCache includes some advanced features like a **fail-safe** mechanism, **cache stampede** prevention, fine grained **soft/hard timeouts** with **background factory completion**, customizable **extensive logging** and more (see below).
+It uses a memory cache (any impl of the standard `IMemoryCache` interface) as the **primary** backing store and, optionally, a distributed cache (any impl of the standard `IDistributedCache` interface) as a **secondary** backing store for better resilience and higher performance, for example in a multi-node scenario or to avoid the typical effects of a cold start (initial empty cache, maybe after a restart).
+
+Optionally, it can also use a **backplane**: in a multi-node scenario this will send notifications to the other nodes to keep each node's memory cache perfectly synchronized, without any additional work.
+
+FusionCache also includes some advanced features like a **fail-safe** mechanism, **cache stampede** prevention, fine grained **soft/hard timeouts** with **background factory completion**, customizable **extensive logging** and more (see below).
 
 
 <div style="text-align:center;">
@@ -19,7 +22,22 @@ FusionCache includes some advanced features like a **fail-safe** mechanism, **ca
 
 </div>
 
-## :twisted_rightwards_arrows: Cache Levels ([more](CacheLevels.md))
+
+## 🏡 Feels Like Home
+
+FusionCache tries to feel like a native part of .NET by adhering to the naming conventions of the standard **memory** and **distributed** cache components:
+
+|                               | Memory Cache                | Distributed Cache              | Fusion Cache              |
+| ---:                          | :---:                       | :---:                          | :---:                     |
+| **Cache Interface**           | `IMemoryCache`              | `IDistributedCache`            | `IFusionCache`            |
+| **Cache Implementation**      | `MemoryCache`               | `[Various]Cache`               | `FusionCache`             |
+| **Cache Options**             | `MemoryCacheOptions`        | `[Various]CacheOptions`        | `FusionCacheOptions`      |
+| **Cache Entry Options**       | `MemoryCacheEntryOptions`   | `DistributedCacheEntryOptions` | `FusionCacheEntryOptions` |
+
+If you've ever used one of those you'll feel at home with FusionCache.
+
+
+## 🔀 Cache Levels ([more](CacheLevels.md))
 
 There are 2 caching levels, transparently handled by FusionCache for you.
 
@@ -30,22 +48,22 @@ These are:
 Everything is handled transparently for you.
 
 You can read more [**here**](CacheLevels.md), or enjoy the complete [**step by step**](StepByStep.md) guide.
-## :house_with_garden: Feels Like Home
 
-FusionCache tries to feel like a native part of .NET by adhering to the naming conventions of the standard **memory** and **distributed** cache components:
 
-|                               | Memory Cache                | Distributed Cache              | Fusion Cache              |
-| ---:                          | :---:                       | :---:                          | :---:                     |
-| **Cache Interface**           | `IMemoryCache`              | `IDistributedCache`            | `IFusionCache`            |
-| **Cache Implementation**      | `MemoryCache`               | `[Various]Cache`               | `FusionCache`             |
-| **Cache Options**             | `MemoryCacheOptions`        | `[Various]CacheOptions`        | `FusionCacheOptions`      |
-| **Cache Entry Options**       | `MemoryCacheEntryOptions`   | `DistributedCacheEntryOptions` | `FusionCacheEntryOptions` |
+## 📢 Backplane ([more](Backplane.md))
 
-If you've ever used one of those you'll feel at home with FusionCache.
+If you are in a scenario with multiple nodes, each with their own local memory cache, you typically also use a distributed cache as a secondary layer (see above).
+
+Even using that, you may find that each memory cache may not be necessarily in-sync with the others, because when a value is cached locally it will stay the same until the `Duration` passes and expiration occurs.
+
+To avoid this and have everything always synchronized you can use a backplane, a shared message bus where change notifications will be automatically sent to all other connected nodes each time a value changes in the cache, without you having to do anything.
+
+You can read more [**here**](Backplane.md), or enjoy the complete [**step by step**](StepByStep.md) guide.
 
-## :rocket: Factory ([more](FactoryOptimization.md))
 
-A factory is just a function that you specify when using the main `GetOrSet[Async]` method: basically it's the way you specify **how to get a value** when it is not in the cache or is expired.
+## 🚀 Factory ([more](FactoryOptimization.md))
+
+A factory is just a function that you specify when using the main `GetOrSet[Async]` method: basically it's the way you specify **how to get a value** when it's needed.
 
 Here's an example:
 
@@ -61,19 +79,21 @@ var product = cache.GetOrSet<Product>(
 
 FusionCache will search for the value in the cache (*memory* and *distributed*, if available) and, if nothing is there, will call the factory to obtain the value: it then saves it into the cache with the specified options, and returns it to the caller, all transparently.
 
-Special care has been put into ensuring that only 1 factory per-key will be executed concurrently, to avoid what is known as [Cache Stampede](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cache_stampede).
+Special care has been put into ensuring that **only 1** factory per-key will be executed concurrently, to avoid what is known as [Cache Stampede](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cache_stampede).
 
 You can read more [**here**](FactoryOptimization.md), or enjoy the complete [**step by step**](StepByStep.md) guide.
 
-## :bomb: Fail-Safe ([more](FailSafe.md))
+
+## 💣 Fail-Safe ([more](FailSafe.md))
 
 Sometimes things can go wrong, and calling a factory for an expired cache entry can lead to exceptions because the database or the network is temporarily down: normally in this case the exception will cause an error page in your website, a failure status code in your api or something like that.
 
 By enabling the fail-safe mechanism you can simply tell FusionCache to ignore those errors and **temporarily use the expired cache entry**: your website or service will remain online, and your users would not notice anything.
 
 You can read more [**here**](FailSafe.md), or enjoy the complete [**step by step**](StepByStep.md) guide.
 
-## :stopwatch: Timeouts ([more](Timeouts.md))
+
+## ⏱️ Timeouts ([more](Timeouts.md))
 
 Sometimes your data source (database, webservice, etc) is overloaded, the network is congested or something else is happening, and the end result is a **long wait** for a fresh piece of data.
 
@@ -87,16 +107,18 @@ In both cases it is possible (and enabled *by default*, so you don't have to do
 
 You can read more [**here**](Timeouts.md), or enjoy the complete [**step by step**](StepByStep.md) guide.
 
-## :level_slider: Options ([more](Options.md))
+
+## 🎚️ Options ([more](Options.md))
 
 There are 2 kinds of options:
 
  - `FusionCacheOptions`: cache-wide options, related to the entire FusionCache instance
- - `FusionCacheEntryOptions`: per-entry options, related to each call/entry
+ - `FusionCacheEntryOptions`: per-entry options, related to each method call/entry
 
 You can read more [**here**](Options.md), or enjoy the complete [**step by step**](StepByStep.md) guide.
 
-## :joystick: Core Methods ([more](CoreMethods.md))
+
+## 🕹️ Core Methods ([more](CoreMethods.md))
 
 At a high level there are 5 core methods:
 
@@ -114,27 +136,31 @@ Finally, most of them have a set of ♻ overloads for a better ease of use.
 
 You can read more [**here**](CoreMethods.md).
 
-## :dizzy: Natively Sync and Async
+
+## 💫 Natively Sync and Async
 
 Everything is natively available for both the **sync** and **async** programming models.
 
-Any operation works seamlessly with any other, even if one is **sync** and the other is **async**: an example is multiple concurrent factory calls for the same cache key, some of them **sync** while others **async**, all coordinated togheter at the same time with no problems and a guarantee that only one will be executed at the same time.
+Any operation works seamlessly with any other, even if one is **sync** and the other is **async**: an example is multiple concurrent factory calls for the same cache key, some of them **sync** while others **async**, all coordinated together at the same time with no problems and a guarantee that only one will be executed at the same time.
+
 
-## :telephone_receiver: Events
+## 📞 Events ([more](Events.md))
 
 There's a comprehensive set of events to subscribe to regarding core events inside of a FusionCache instance, both at a high level and at lower levels (memory/distributed layers).
 
 You can read more [**here**](Events.md).
 
-## :jigsaw: Plugins
+
+## 🧩 Plugins ([more](Plugins.md))
 
 FusionCache supports extensibility via plugins: it is possible for example to listen to [events](Events.md) and react in any way you want.
 
 In time, the most useful plugins will be listed directly in the homepage.
 
 You can read more [**here**](Plugins.md).
 
-## :page_with_curl: Logging
+
+## 📃 Logging
 FusionCache can log extensively to help you pinpoint any possible problem in your production environment.
 
 It uses the standard `ILogger<T>` interface and a structured logging approach so it fits well in the .NET ecosystem, allowing you to use any implementation you want that is compatible with it (Serilog, NLog, etc).