1. A method for finding information about a file that is managed by a database system, comprising the computer-implemented steps of: receiving a request associated with a session for an operation on the file that is managed by a database system; looking for an entry associated with said file in a session cache that is associated with said session; if said entry is not in said session caches, then looking for said entry in one or more shared caches whose entries are accessible to multiple sessions; and if said entry is not in said one or more shared caches, then looking in said database for said information about said file.