---
title:  Deploying and Configuring a Gemcached Server
---

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You can configure and deploy Gemcached servers in a Java class or by using the gfsh command-line interface.

The following sections describe how to configure and deploy an embedded Gemcached server. You can configure and start a GemCached server either by invoking a Java class that calls the cache server's `start()` method, or by starting the cache server using the gfsh command line.

## <a id="topic_7B158074B27A4FEF9D38E7C369905C72__section_17E7E4058D914334B9C5AC2E3DC1F7F2" class="no-quick-link"></a>Embedding a Gemcached server in a <%=vars.product_name%> Java Application

The `org.apache.geode.memcached` package contains a single class, `GemFireMemcachedServer` (see the <%=vars.product_name%> Javadocs.) Use this class to configure and embed a Gemcached server in a <%=vars.product_name%> cache server. For example, the following statement creates and starts an embedded Gemcached server on port number 5555 using the binary protocol:

``` pre
GemFireMemcachedServer server = 
  new GemFireMemcachedServer(5555, Protocol.BINARY);server.start(); 
          
```

**Note:**
By default, Gemcached servers use the ASCII protocol.

When you start a Gemcached server, by default, it creates a `RegionShortcut.PARTITION` region named `gemcached` where data used by memcached clients is stored. You can alter these defaults by configuring the region using the `cache.xml` or `gemfire.properties` files. See [Distributed System and Cache Configuration](../../basic_config/config_concepts/chapter_overview.html).

## <a id="topic_7B158074B27A4FEF9D38E7C369905C72__section_58A3FFED5BBB4F92A79FBD50421DC3F3" class="no-quick-link"></a>Starting a Gemcached Server Using a gfsh Command

You can also start a Gemcached server with the gfsh command-line interface. Use the following syntax:

``` pre
gfsh>start server 
  --name=<server_name> 
  --server-port=<port_number> 
  --memcached-port=<port_number>
  --memcached-protocol=BINARY|ASCII
```

**Note:**
You can also set the memcached port number and protocol in the `gemfire.properties` file.

If the `memcached-port` property is not specified, the embedded Gemcached server is not started.

## <a id="topic_7B158074B27A4FEF9D38E7C369905C72__section_E5587FE56A21424FBAEE8CF61DF34219" class="no-quick-link"></a>Configuring a Gemcached Server with the gemfire.properties File

You can set the following properties in the `gemfire.properties` file that are used when starting Gemcached servers:

<a id="topic_7B158074B27A4FEF9D38E7C369905C72__table_3F586259E06E42C4BD82AD661B3AFEA4"></a>

<table>
<caption><span class="tablecap">Table 1. Gemcached Properties</span></caption>
<colgroup>
<col width="50%" />
<col width="50%" />
</colgroup>
<thead>
<tr class="header">
<th><p>Property</p></th>
<th><p>Description</p></th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><code class="ph codeph">memcached-port</code></td>
<td><p>The port number where the Gemcached server listens for connections from memcached clients.</p>
<p>If the port number is set to 0 or the <code class="ph codeph">memcached-port</code> parameter is omitted, the Gemcached server does not start.</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code class="ph codeph">memcached-protocol</code></td>
<td><p>Memcached supports both ASCII and binary communication protocols. 
(See <a href="https://github.com/memcached/memcached/blob/master/doc/protocol.txt">Memcached protocol</a> By default, Gemcached uses the ASCII protocol.</p>
<p>Set one of the following values:</p>
<ul>
<li><code class="ph codeph">ASCII</code> (default)</li>
<li><code class="ph codeph">BINARY</code></li>
</ul></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<span class="tablecap">Table 1. Gemcached Properties</span>