mysql table_cache


//=== https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/server-system-variables.html#sysvar_key_buffer_size
"system variable"
* table_cache

Command-Line Format --table_cache=#
System Variable Name table_cache
Variable Scope Global
Dynamic Variable Yes
Permitted Values Type integer
Default 64
Min Value 1
Max Value 524288

"""...
The number of open tables for all threads.
Increasing this value increases the number of file descriptors that mysqld requires.
You can check whether you need to increase the table cache by
checking the Opened_tables status variable.
..."""


//=== "status variable"
* Opened_tables
--> https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/server-status-variables.html

mysql> SHOW GLOBAL STATUS;


* Open_tables : The number of tables that are open.

* Opened_tables : The number of tables that have been opened.
If Opened_tables is big, your table_cache value is probably too small.