Server 2012 R2 & SMB3: Is there such a thing as a directory cache?

BlizzardX · 26 Aug 2014 at 08:57

I'm testing server 2012 r2 for my jbod storage server and wondered whether this version had a kept copies of the files/folders stored on the HDDs in memory so that when the drives are spun down you don't have to wait for ages to access them while they spin up?

Thanks,

Chris

Yamahahahahaha · 26 Aug 2014 at 15:17

Nope. ReFS supports SSD caching but not RAM caching.

With 2012 R2 Clustered Shared Volumes (CSVs) you can assign caching up to 80% of total system memory. Useful if you're using Scale-Out File Servers.

http://www.thomasmaurer.ch/2014/02/configure-csv-cache-in-windows-server-2012-r2/
http://www.thomasmaurer.ch/2012/04/windows-server-8-csv-cache-benchmark/
http://www.thomasmaurer.ch/2013/08/hyper-v-over-smb-scale-out-file-server-and-storage-spaces/

Ederp: Have a look at SMB Directory Leasing, it might be what you're after?

Ploppy2k3 · 29 Aug 2014 at 13:44

as long as the client also supports SMB Directory Leasing you should be ok. without it yes you will suffer the delay etc while they spin up.

BlizzardX · 30 Aug 2014 at 10:42

Thanks guys, yes directory caching seems to be at work with my windows 8.1 client connected to the server. Is there any information available on how much data a client or the server can cache? I've only got a small number of files on this test HDD at the moment as the rest are all on my reiserFS drives from an unRAID basic install.