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DrivePool File Server - 1 month in...


xazz

Question

So, I'm about a month into my DrivePool based file server, and it is going well :-)

 

As discussed, it is an old i7 HP with an 250G SSD and eight drives connected via USB.

 

Some questions:

 

1. I'm struggling to have the SSD used as a write cache. In ui1.png, the red arrows imply that new files will go to the SSD/C: But when I copy files across the network to the pool drive, they go directly to one of the USB drives (i.e. H:\ in the image)

 

2. It reports Unduplicated of 1TB. That is higher than unexpected on a pool set to full duplication. What should I check?

 

(See ui2.png. Recycle Bin is empty)

 

3. Not sure why it reports 1.5TB unusable for duplication, but this only started after I added an 8TB drive a few days ago so it probably needs a few more balancing runs (originally reported 4TB unusable)

 

4. The raw size of a single copy of all my data would be less than 7TB. Is there any easy way to ensure there is at least one copy of every file on my 8TB hdd (would this be a file placement rule to put everything on just that hard drive?)

 

5. I'm using Beta 812, because I was having unresponsive UI issues in an older beta. CPU usage is surprisingly high with the DrivePool UI. >50% on my the file server. 28% on my whizbang dev system (connected remotely).

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  1. If you're using duplication and the SSD Optimizer balancer plugin, then you do need to have 2 "SSD"s.  If you don't, then one of the copies *will* default to an archive drive.  This is most likely what you're seeing. 

     

    If you're not using Real time duplication, then ... you're likely using file placement rules for the folder(s) in question.  If that's the case, the file placement rule *can* override the SSD Optimizer settings.

     

    Try including the SSD in the file placement rules, as this should be the easiest way to fix the issue. 

     

  2. There has been an issue with the measuring, However, build 820 looks like it addresses the issue,  Install that, remeasure and then see.

    http://dl.covecube.com/DrivePoolWindows/beta/download/StableBit.DrivePool_2.2.0.820_x64_BETA.exe

     

    Please enable real time duplication.  You have it disabled in your screenshot,  This means that only a single copy is created, and then it runs a duplication pass at night to reduplicate it.  

    Real time duplication

     

  3. Unusable for duplication is a tricky value. It's based on the disks in the pool, how they're being used, how much free space each disk has, etc.   But my guess here would be the 8TB drive that's causing the issue.  Especially since you mention that it only appeared.  Basically, you don't have enough room to add more than 4TB of data, before there is no more room on the other drives for duplication. 

    But over time, the balancing system should eliminate this.

     

  4. Yes, the dpcmd has a "check-pool-fileparts" command that can check the duplication status of files in the pool. This can be used to look for files that have x1 duplication (aka no duplication) on the pool. 

    Remeasuring the pool should kick off a duplication pass. Though there may be an option next to the pool condition bar, when it's not balancing.

     

  5. Yeah, this is a known issue with some of the newer builds.  Grabbing later builds should fix this issue. (link above)

     

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1. No, that does not seem to fix it. I also tried disabling all balancers except the SSD one. Does it make any difference if balancing is active while copying?

 

2. I have disabled realtime duplication as I only have one SSD. If the daily duplication is missed because DP is busy or the computer is shut down, does it occur once possible? I was thinking that it would happen during the balancing run...

 

4. Sorry, are you saying I should create a file placement rule that places only on the 8TB drive (and the SSD)? Which will give me one copy on the 8TB drive and then duplicates will flow onto all the others?

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1. I've toggled all of the file balancing options, and even tried disabling the file placement rules, but I cannot get it to write to C drive at all

 

2. You were right. It was so busy doing its inital duplication that it never duplicated fully. Now it shows as fully duplicated.

 

3. Again, I was too impatient. After a few rounds of balancing the value is now zero

 

4. For each of my folders, I have specified the 8TB drive and one other, so hopefully that will put one copy of each file on the 8TB drive

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Oh, shoot, I miss that.

 

DO NOT RUN THE SSD OPTIMIZER AND THE ORDERED FILE PLACEMENT BALANCER AT THE SAME TIME.  

It breaks things.

 

In fact, that's why we migrated the options to the SSD Optimizer, because it caused situations like this.  Disable the Ordered File Placement balancer, and instead, just use the SSD Optimizer. 

 

That should (in theory/hopefully) fix the issue you're seeing.

 

If it doesn't then try enabling file system logging, and copy files over:

http://wiki.covecube.com/StableBit_DrivePool_2.x_Error_Reports

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Hi Chris

 

Sorry, no, I'm not using the "Ordered File Placement" balancer. "SSD Optimizer" is the only balancer I have enabled. Though I am using File Placement rules.

 

 

File system logging is enabled. I just copied a file to the pool.

However there is no log file from today in:

C:\ProgramData\StableBit DrivePool\Service\ErrorReports
 

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Upgraded to Beta 833 and it seems to be working now.

 

To clarify one point, Balancing does not perform duplication, does it? Duplication is only performed at the time specified in the settings file.

 

(Ideally it would duplicate from the SSD, rather than balance to an archive HDD, and then duplicate from that).

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