---
title: "Using  CTERA Cache Assist"
slug: "using-ctera-cache-assist"
description: "After installing CTERA Cache Assist on the macOS computer, when the computer is connected to an edge filer that is configured for caching, stub files are identified in Finder by a stub icon."
tags: ["Assist", "macAssist", "Cache Assist", "macOS", "Edge Filer", "Gateway", "Filer"]
updated: 2026-11-03T09:18:19Z
published: 2026-11-03T09:18:19Z
canonical: "kb.ctera.com/using-ctera-cache-assist"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kb.ctera.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Using  CTERA Cache Assist

After installing CTERA Cache Assist on the macOS computer, when the computer is connected to an edge filer that is configured for caching, stub files are identified in Finder by a stub icon, ![image.png](https://cdn.document360.io/30792387-cdcb-4791-aa14-94929bbcd3fe/Images/Documentation/image-2Y6T0FF5.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-11T03%3A53%3A44Z&se=2026-11-11T04%3A53%3A44Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=uKYcmviECdNQQ7mdrxKCzucTpF7YH%2B7hMzqSPDSckqI%3D).

Finder reports that the total space and available free space for the mapped drive is a very high number to simulate the caching ability of infinite storage.

## Downloading Stub Files and Folders On the macOS

When you click on a stub file it is automatically downloaded to the edge filer from the portal and the stub icon is removed from the file in Finder. All macOS computers that connect to the same edge filer will see the file without the stub icon, without having to refresh the screen. If you want to download to your computer a file or a folder, with its subfolders, so it is ready for you to work on, you can right-click the item and choose the bring online option. The selected content is added to a queue and downloaded to your computer. You can also select multiple folders or files to download to your computer.

**Note**

Clicking a file to open it immediately downloads this file, regardless of the files being queued to be downloaded.

### Downloading a File

To download a file, right-click a file and then click **Bring file online** to download the file on your computer.

### Downloading Multiple Files

To download more than one file, select multiple files to bring online and right-click. Click **Bring selected items online** to download all the selected files on your computer.

### Downloading a Folder and Subfolders

To download a folder with its subfolders, right-click a folder and then click **Bring folder online** to download the folder and its subfolders on your computer.

## Controlling Whether CTERA Cache Assist is Enabled

For managed Macs, to control when CTERA Cache Assist is enabled or disabled, configure a configuration profile that sets CAEnabled, so that users cannot override it.

Otherwise, if for any reason you need to control when CTERA Cache Assist is enabled or disabled, you can do this by changing the **CAEnabled** property in the plist file by running the following commands as the logged in user (and not with `sudo`):

- To disable CTERA Cache Assist: `defaults write D6PHDN9EA4.group.ctera.CacheAssist CAEnabled 0`
- To re-enable CTERA Cache Assist with the following command: `defaults write D6PHDN9EA4.group.ctera.CacheAssist CAEnabled 1`.

**Note**

if CAEnabled is set by an MDM configuration profile, `defaults write` has no effect. Change it in the profile instead.

To see the current status, run the following command: `defaults read D6PHDN9EA4.group.ctera.CacheAssist CAEnabled`. When **CAEnabled** is `1`, CTERA Cache Assist is enabled. When it is `0`, CTERA Cache Assist is disabled.

If the command returns`does not exist`, then Cache Assist is enabled.