public Cache buildCache(String name,
    Properties properties) throws CacheException 
{
                                                                                              
	    try {
            net.sf.ehcache.Cache cache = manager.getCache(name);
            if (cache == null) {
                log.warn("Could not find configuration [" + name + "]; using defaults.");
                manager.addCache(name);
                cache = manager.getCache(name);
                log.debug("started EHCache region: " + name);
            }
            return new EhCache(cache);
	    }
        catch (net.sf.ehcache.CacheException e) {
            throw new CacheException(e);
        }
}

Builds a Cache.

Even though this method provides properties, they are not used. Properties for EHCache are specified in the ehcache.xml file. Configuration will be read from ehcache.xml for a cache declaration where the name attribute matches the name parameter in this builder.

 public boolean isMinimalPutsEnabledByDefault() 
{
		return false;
}

 public long nextTimestamp() 
{
        return Timestamper.next();
}

Returns the next timestamp.

 public  void start(Properties properties) throws CacheException 
{
		if (manager != null) {
            log.warn("Attempt to restart an already started EhCacheProvider. Use sessionFactory.close() " +
                    " between repeated calls to buildSessionFactory. Using previously created EhCacheProvider." +
                    " If this behaviour is required, consider using net.sf.ehcache.hibernate.SingletonEhCacheProvider.");
            return;
        }
        try {
            String configurationResourceName = null;
            if (properties != null) {
                configurationResourceName = (String) properties.get( Environment.CACHE_PROVIDER_CONFIG );
            }
            if ( StringHelper.isEmpty( configurationResourceName ) ) {
                manager = new CacheManager();
            } else {
                URL url = loadResource(configurationResourceName);
                manager = new CacheManager(url);
            }
        } catch (net.sf.ehcache.CacheException e) {
			//yukky! Don't you have subclasses for that!
			//TODO race conditions can happen here
			if (e.getMessage().startsWith("Cannot parseConfiguration CacheManager. Attempt to create a new instance of " +
                    "CacheManager using the diskStorePath")) {
                throw new CacheException("Attempt to restart an already started EhCacheProvider. Use sessionFactory.close() " +
                    " between repeated calls to buildSessionFactory. Consider using net.sf.ehcache.hibernate.SingletonEhCacheProvider."
						, e );
            } else {
                throw e;
            }
        }
}

Callback to perform any necessary initialization of the underlying cache implementation during SessionFactory construction.

 public  void stop() 
{
		if (manager != null) {
            manager.shutdown();
            manager = null;
        }
}

Callback to perform any necessary cleanup of the underlying cache implementation during SessionFactory.close().