Extend MemoryCacheOptions with TrackLinkedCacheEntries

src/libraries/Microsoft.Extensions.Caching.Memory/ref/Microsoft.Extensions.Caching.Memory.cs

@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ public MemoryCacheOptions() { }
         public System.TimeSpan ExpirationScanFrequency { get { throw null; } set { } }
         Microsoft.Extensions.Caching.Memory.MemoryCacheOptions Microsoft.Extensions.Options.IOptions<Microsoft.Extensions.Caching.Memory.MemoryCacheOptions>.Value { get { throw null; } }
         public long? SizeLimit { get { throw null; } set { } }
+        public bool TrackLinkedCacheEntries { get { throw null; } set { } }
     }
     public partial class MemoryDistributedCacheOptions : Microsoft.Extensions.Caching.Memory.MemoryCacheOptions
     {

src/libraries/Microsoft.Extensions.Caching.Memory/src/CacheEntry.cs

@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ internal CacheEntry(object key, MemoryCache memoryCache)
         {
             Key = key ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(key));
             _cache = memoryCache ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(memoryCache));
-            _previous = CacheEntryHelper.EnterScope(this);
+            _previous = memoryCache.TrackLinkedCacheEntries ? CacheEntryHelper.EnterScope(this) : null;
             _state = new CacheEntryState(CacheItemPriority.Normal);
         }
 
@@ -136,7 +136,10 @@ public void Dispose()
             {
                 _state.IsDisposed = true;
 
-                CacheEntryHelper.ExitScope(this, _previous);
+                if (_cache.TrackLinkedCacheEntries)
+                {
+                    CacheEntryHelper.ExitScope(this, _previous);
+                }
 
                 // Don't commit or propagate options if the CacheEntry Value was never set.
                 // We assume an exception occurred causing the caller to not set the Value successfully,

src/libraries/Microsoft.Extensions.Caching.Memory/src/MemoryCache.cs

@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ public MemoryCache(IOptions<MemoryCacheOptions> optionsAccessor, ILoggerFactory
             }
 
             _lastExpirationScan = _options.Clock.UtcNow;
+            TrackLinkedCacheEntries = _options.TrackLinkedCacheEntries; // we store the setting now so it's consistent for entire MemoryCache lifetime
         }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -79,6 +80,8 @@ public MemoryCache(IOptions<MemoryCacheOptions> optionsAccessor, ILoggerFactory
         // internal for testing
         internal long Size { get => Interlocked.Read(ref _cacheSize); }
 
+        internal bool TrackLinkedCacheEntries { get; }
+
         private ICollection<KeyValuePair<object, CacheEntry>> EntriesCollection => _entries;
 
         /// <inheritdoc />
@@ -232,7 +235,7 @@ public bool TryGetValue(object key, out object result)
                     entry.LastAccessed = utcNow;
                     result = entry.Value;
 
-                    if (entry.CanPropagateOptions())
+                    if (_options.TrackLinkedCacheEntries && entry.CanPropagateOptions())
                     {
                         // When this entry is retrieved in the scope of creating another entry,
                         // that entry needs a copy of these expiration tokens.

src/libraries/Microsoft.Extensions.Caching.Memory/src/MemoryCacheOptions.cs

@@ -53,6 +53,12 @@ public double CompactionPercentage
             }
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets or sets whether to track linked entries. Disabled by default.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <remarks>Prior to .NET 7 this feature was always enabled.</remarks>
+        public bool TrackLinkedCacheEntries { get; set; }
+
         MemoryCacheOptions IOptions<MemoryCacheOptions>.Value
         {
             get { return this; }