How to configure ACS AEM Commons Dispatcher Flush on localhost (AEM 6.1 + Apache 2.4)

Hi ​@vikram_0422 ,

1. Use the right ACS AEM Commons version

• For AEM 6.1, use the latest 3.x release of ACS AEM Commons that explicitly supports 6.1.
• Do not use 4.x+ (those are for newer AEM versions).

2. Create a Dispatcher Flush replication agent (Author)

On Author: Tools -> Deployment -> Replication -> Agents on author

Create (or edit) an agent, e.g. flush-localhost:

• Enabled: true
• Serialization Type: Dispatcher Flush
• Transport URI: http://localhost/dispatcher/invalidate.cache
• Transport User / Password: If Apache protects the flush URL, use a local user or leave empty if it’s IP‑restricted only.
• HTTP Method: POST (default for flush)

ACS AEM Commons only shows agents that are:

• on author
• Enabled
• with Serialization Type = Dispatcher Flush

If you see “No active Dispatcher Flush replication agents”, one of those is wrong.

3. Apache 2.4 VirtualHost config (imp part)
In your vhost that fronts AEM/dispatcher, add a location for the flush URL that goes to the dispatcher module, not to AEM:

<VirtualHost *:80>
  ServerName localhost

  # Dispatcher config
  DispatcherConfig  conf/dispatcher.any
  DispatcherUseProcessedURL  On
  DispatcherPassError        0

  # Normal content
  <Location />
    SetHandler dispatcher-handler
    ModMimeUsePathInfo On
  </Location>

  # Flush endpoint
  <Location /dispatcher/invalidate.cache>
    SetHandler dispatcher-handler
    ModMimeUsePathInfo On
    # Only allow local author to call this
    Require ip 127.0.0.1
  </Location>
</VirtualHost>

Key points:

• Do not ProxyPass /dispatcher/invalidate.cache to AEM – it must be handled by the dispatcher module.
• Use Require ip 127.0.0.1 (or your author IP) instead of authentication if you want to avoid 401.

If this URL is forwarded to AEM or not handled by dispatcher, you’ll see 401/404 and flushing won’t work.

4. Dispatcher configuration (dispatcher.any)

Make sure your farm has:

/farms {
  /website {
    ...
    /allowedClients {
      # deny all by default
      /0000 { /glob "*" /type "deny" }
      # allow author/flush IP
      /0001 { /glob "127.0.0.1" /type "allow" }
    }

    /cache {
      /statfileslevel "1"
      /invalidate {
        /0000 { /glob "*" /type "allow" }
      }
    }
  }
}

• allowedClients must allow the IP of your author (127.0.0.1 in a simple local install), otherwise flush requests are dropped.
• statfileslevel (or invalidate rules) must be set so dispatcher actually invalidates.

5. How ACS AEM Commons decides “active” agents

ACS Dispatcher Flush UI considers an agent active if:

• It’s under /etc/replication/agents.author/*
• Enabled = true
• Serialization Type = Dispatcher Flush
• If your agent is of type “Default” or is disabled, the UI will say “No active Dispatcher Flush replication agents” even if it exists.

6. Apache 2.4 support

• Yes, Apache 2.4 on Windows works fine with AEM 6.1 dispatcher flush.
• The important parts are:
  • proper SetHandler dispatcher-handler for the flush URL,
  • correct allowedClients in dispatcher.any,
  • and a correctly configured Dispatcher Flush agent on author.

Thanks,
Amit