docs-v2/content/shared/influxdb3-admin/distinct-value-cache/create.md

Use the influxdb3 create distinct_cache command to create a Distinct Value Cache (DVC). Provide the following:

• Database (-d, --database): ({{< req >}}) The name of the database to associate the DVC with. You can also use the INFLUXDB3_DATABASE_NAME environment variable to specify the database.
• Token (--token): ({{< req >}}) Your {{< product-name >}} {{% show-in "enterprise" %}}admin {{% /show-in %}}authentication token. You can also use the INFLUXDB3_AUTH_TOKEN environment variable to specify the token.
• Table (-t, --table): ({{< req >}}) The name of the table to associate the DVC with. {{% show-in "enterprise" %}}
• Node specification (-n, --node-spec): Specify which nodes the DVC should be configured on. {{% /show-in %}}
• Columns (--columns): ({{< req >}}) Specify which columns to cache distinct values for. These are typically tag columns but can also be string fields.
• Maximum cardinality (--max-cardinality): Specify the maximum number of distinct value combinations to store in the cache. The default maximum cardinality is 100000.
• Maximum age (--max-age): Specify the maximum age of distinct values to keep in the DVC in humantime form. The default maximum age is 24 hours.
• Cache name: A unique name for the cache. If you don’t provide one, InfluxDB automatically generates a cache name for you.

{{% show-in "core" %}}

{{% code-placeholders "(DATABASE|TABLE|DVC)NAME|AUTH_TOKEN|NODE_SPEC|COLUMNS|MAX(CARDINALITY|AGE)" %}}

influxdb3 create distinct_cache \
  --database DATABASE_NAME \
  --token AUTH_TOKEN \
  --table TABLE_NAME \
  --columns COLUMNS \
  --max-cardinality MAX_CARDINALITY \
  --max-age MAX_AGE \
  DVC_NAME

{{% /code-placeholders %}}

{{% /show-in %}}

{{% show-in "enterprise" %}}

{{% code-placeholders "(DATABASE|TABLE|DVC)NAME|AUTH_TOKEN|NODE_LIST|COLUMNS|MAX(CARDINALITY|AGE)" %}}

influxdb3 create distinct_cache \
  --database DATABASE_NAME \
  --token AUTH_TOKEN \
  --table TABLE_NAME \
  --node-spec "nodes:NODE_LIST" \
  --columns COLUMNS \
  --max-cardinality MAX_CARDINALITY \
  --max-age MAX_AGE \
  DVC_NAME

{{% /code-placeholders %}}

{{% /show-in %}}

Replace the following:

• {{% code-placeholder-key %}}DATABASE_NAME{{% /code-placeholder-key %}}: the name of the database to associate the DVC with
• {{% code-placeholder-key %}}AUTH_TOKEN{{% /code-placeholder-key %}}: your {{< product-name >}} {{% show-in "enterprise" %}}admin {{% /show-in %}} authentication token
• {{% code-placeholder-key %}}TABLE_NAME{{% /code-placeholder-key %}}: the name of the table to associate the DVC with {{% show-in "enterprise" %}}
• {{% code-placeholder-key %}}NODE_LIST{{% /code-placeholder-key %}}: a comma-delimited list of node IDs to configure the DVC on--for example: node-01,node-02. {{% /show-in %}}
• {{% code-placeholder-key %}}COLUMNS{{% /code-placeholder-key %}}: a comma-delimited list of columns to cache distinct values for--for example: country,county,city
• {{% code-placeholder-key %}}MAX_CARDINALITY{{% /code-placeholder-key %}}: the maximum number of distinct value combinations to cache--for example: 10000
• {{% code-placeholder-key %}}MAX_AGE{{% /code-placeholder-key %}}: the maximum age of distinct values to keep in the cache in humantime form--for example: 6h, 1 day, 1 week
• {{% code-placeholder-key %}}DVC_NAME{{% /code-placeholder-key %}}: a unique name for the DVC

The cache imports the distinct values from the table and starts caching them.

[!Important]

DVC size and persistence

The DVC is stored in memory, so it's important to consider the size and persistence of the cache. For more information, see Important things to know about the Distinct Value Cache.