The Mystery of Deleted File from Shared Drives Not in the Recycle Bin

When you delete a file from your local drive, it typically gets sent to the recycle bin, where it sits until you either restore it or permanently delete it. However, things work differently when it comes to shared drives. Files deleted from shared drives often bypass the recycle bin altogether, leaving users perplexed and frustrated. The mystery lies in the fact that Windows network file shares are designed that way.

Understanding the Recycle Bin “Flaw”

While not technically a design “flaw”, it may seem like it. Unlike local drives, where each user has their own recycle bin tied to their individual account, shared drives operate on a different principle. When a file is deleted from a shared drive, it doesn’t go to the recycle bin of any specific user. Instead, it gets permanently deleted from the drive, making it seemingly unrecoverable through conventional means. Video.

Introducing Undelete^®: The Savior of Lost Files

Fortunately, there’s a solution to this dilemma of deleted files from shared drives not being captured and saved in the recycle bin, and it comes in the form of Undelete software. Undelete is specifically designed to recover files deleted from shared drives, offering a lifeline to those who have mistakenly bid farewell to important documents.

How Undelete Works its Magic

Unlike conventional recycle bins tied to individual user accounts, Undelete’s powerful Recovery Bin captures and preserves all file deletions, including files deleted across shared drives. This proactive approach ensures that no deleted file goes unnoticed or irretrievable, regardless of the user responsible for its deletion. By replacing the traditional recycle bin with the robust Recovery Bin, Undelete effectively closes the gap in shared drive file management, offering unparalleled peace of mind to users and administrators alike.

What if You Don’t Have Undelete Installed, You Deleted a File from the Shared Drive, it’s Not in The Recycle Bin, and You Need it Back Now?

Ideally you already have Undelete installed and you can just click and recover any files you may have accidentally deleted from the shared drive! However, if you don’t have Undelete installed and you deleted files from shared drives that are not in recycle bin, Emergency Undelete may be able to help.

How Emergency Undelete Can Help

When a file is deleted from a Windows volume, the data isn’t immediately physically removed from the drive. Instead, the space occupied by that file’s data is simply marked as “deleted” or available for use. The original data remains intact and will persist until that space is overwritten by new data. With Emergency Undelete, there’s an excellent chance that this “deleted” file can still be recovered. Follow these steps:

1. Stop Making Changes: The moment you realize a file has been deleted, refrain from making any further changes to the shared drive. Continued activity on the drive could potentially overwrite the deleted file, making it much harder, if not impossible, to recover.
2. Install Undelete: The paid version of Undelete includes Emergency Undelete. Copy the Undelete product package to that system, but to a different volume than the one you are recovering lost files from.
3. Recover your files: Run the Undelete install package and it will allow you to run Emergency Undelete directly to recover the lost files. Follow the steps displayed.

Seamless Integration and Simplified Workflow

Undelete seamlessly integrates into existing IT infrastructures, requiring minimal configuration and maintenance. With its intuitive interface and user-friendly design, Undelete empowers users to take control of their data recovery efforts effortlessly. From individual users seeking to recover deleted files to system administrators tasked with managing shared drive integrity, Undelete streamlines the entire file recovery process, offering a cohesive solution for organizations of all sizes.

Conclusion: An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure with Undelete

The age-old adage, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, applies in the IT world of data protection and recovery. It’s certainly much easier capture and protect all file deletions, especially those deleted from shared drives, than it is to hope against all hope that the files can be recovered. Yes, Emergency Undelete has been a lifesaver for many, but it is not 100% reliable due to the write activity on the volume. It is much better to install Undelete on every Windows file server in your environment and have unparalleled data resilience and file recovery capabilities for shared drive environments. It’s your safety net that can return deleted files from shared drives in just a few clicks.

The post Deleted File from Shared Drives Not in the Recycle Bin – Mystery Solved appeared first on Condusiv - The Diskeeper Company.

The Anatomy of I/O Bottlenecks

I/O bottlenecks can emanate from various sources, each contributing to the hindrance of data transfer efficiency. One factor is the exponential growth in data volume and complexity, placing an increased demand on storage infrastructure. As systems grapple with the sheer magnitude of data, read and write operations may experience delays, resulting in sluggish performance.

A primary contributor to I/O bottlenecks is what we commonly refer to as split I/Os. These refer to additional I/O operations necessitated by the file system breaking up a file into multiple fragments, resulting in excessive traffic to and from storage. In the pursuit of a dynamic file system accommodating varied file sizes, scalability, and accessibility through different I/O sizes, files are inherently divided into multiple pieces. With the escalation in volume sizes and the proliferation of files on a volume, split I/Os become a more pronounced issue.

While not all file fragments threaten I/O performance, the reality is that, more often than not, I/O operations are not aligned with file allocations. Consequently, a single I/O tasked with processing data for an application may be split into multiple I/Os by the file system. This issue intensifies when free space becomes severely fragmented, accelerating the rate of overall fragmentation and the corresponding occurrence of Split I/Os. Recognizing that Split I/Os are detrimental to storage performance, the prevention and elimination of such occurrences emerge as pivotal measures, offering one of the most straightforward ways to significantly enhance storage performance.

The Impact of I/O Bottlenecks

The repercussions of I/O bottlenecks extend beyond mere inconvenience, significantly affecting the overall performance and responsiveness of a system. Slower data access times translate to delays in executing critical tasks, hampering productivity and user satisfaction. In scenarios where real-time data processing is essential, such as in financial transactions or database queries, the impact of I/O bottlenecks can be particularly severe.

Moreover, the wear and tear on hardware components due to excessive I/O operations can lead to a shortened lifespan of storage devices, posing long-term implications for organizations, requiring frequent hardware replacements, and contributing to increased operational costs.

Introducing DymaxIO: The Fast, Easy, Cost-Effective Solution

In the quest to overcome I/O bottlenecks, administrators are often faced with the dilemma of choosing between complex, expensive hardware upgrades and more streamlined software solutions. Condusiv Technologies’ DymaxIO emerges as the ideal solution, offering a fast, easy, and cost-effective way to optimize I/O operations without the need for extensive capital expenditure or disruptive infrastructure overhauls.

DymaxIO introduces a suite of intelligent technologies designed to elevate I/O performance. Consider IntelliMemory^®, a patented read I/O optimization engine that leverages available DRAM to efficiently cache frequently accessed data. This server-side DRAM read caching engine specifically targets the most demanding I/O operations, substantially diminishing reliance on storage devices. The result is expedited data retrieval and heightened system-wide responsiveness.

Revolutionizing write operations, IntelliWrite^®, a patented write optimization technology, effectively addresses issues related to excessively small, fragmented, and random writes and reads. By providing Windows with file size intelligence, IntelliWrite optimizes allocation at the logical disk layer, facilitating large, contiguous writes and reads. This intelligent approach minimizes I/O operations, countering the adverse effects of split I/Os, ultimately leading to superior system performance.

The Easy Implementation of DymaxIO

One key advantage of DymaxIO is its seamless integration into existing environments. Unlike the intricate process of hardware upgrades, DymaxIO operates at the software level, requiring minimal configuration and causing no disruption to daily operations. This non-intrusive approach enables organizations to enhance their storage performance without the complexities and downtime associated with extensive hardware replacements.

Cost-Effective Optimization with DymaxIO

DymaxIO stands out not only for its effectiveness but also for its cost-efficiency. Organizations can achieve significant performance improvements without incurring the substantial costs associated with rip-and-replace hardware upgrades. By maximizing the use of existing resources and mitigating the impact of split I/Os, DymaxIO provides a cost-effective solution for organizations seeking to optimize their systems.

Case Studies: Real-world Success with DymaxIO

To illustrate the tangible benefits of DymaxIO, let’s explore a couple of real-world case studies where organizations have leveraged this solution to overcome I/O challenges and achieve remarkable improvements in storage performance.

1. Case Study 1: Critical ERP System Bottleneck Resolved for Manufacturing Company

Challenge: SQL “waits” were increasing to access the database and the ERP system, and users were getting out-of-memory alerts, with clients and devices crashing.

Solution: DymaxIO was implemented to nondisruptively optimize I/O operations at the source, reducing the I/O requirement for all files.

Outcome: DymaxIO solved the performance problems – no more bottlenecks, waits, or crashes. Orders move from sales to shipping in real-time, saving a day of productivity and improving efficiency.

Read full case study Altenloh, Brinck & Co. – “Everything is More Responsive!”

2. Case Study 2: SQL and Oracle Performance Doubled on Flash Arrays for University

Challenge: Supported by an all-flash storage array, performance degradation was occurring on MS-SQL and Oracle applications on Windows servers impacting Quality of Service (QoS) to users.

Solution: DymaxIO was deployed to address the thousands of excessively small, tiny writes and reads that were dampening performance significantly.

Outcome: The university saw a 50% to 100% (and more increase in some instances) in performance on their MS-SQL and Oracle Servers, increasing the infrastructure efficiency and user productivity.

Read full case study University of Illinois – “2X Faster SQL & Oracle”

See For Yourself with Free 30-Day Trial

It’s easy to see for yourself. Download a free 30-day trial of DymaxIO and install it on your most troublesome server(s). Let it run for a few days and then check your performance results!

Conclusion

I/O bottlenecks represent a pervasive challenge in the realm of IT infrastructure, impacting the efficiency and responsiveness of systems. As organizations navigate the landscape of performance optimization, understanding the sources and consequences of I/O bottlenecks is crucial. Condusiv Technologies’ DymaxIO emerges as a beacon, offering a fast, easy, and cost-effective solution to address the complexities of I/O bottlenecks, particularly those arising from split I/Os or fragmentation. By choosing DymaxIO, organizations can unlock the full potential of their existing infrastructure, ensuring optimal performance and efficiency for the challenges of today and tomorrow.

The post Unveiling the Culprits: Understanding I/O Bottlenecks, Their Impact, and the DymaxIO Solution appeared first on Condusiv - The Diskeeper Company.

Imagine this scenario: you or one of your users deletes a crucial file from a shared network drive, and panic sets in when you can’t find and recover it from the Windows recycle bin. That’s because the Windows recycle bin doesn’t capture all file deletions, especially those from network shares.

But fear not! If you have the Undelete^® Server edition on your file servers, just open Undelete, click, and recover the file instantly.

If you don’t have Undelete on your file servers, in this guide we’ll explore the common pitfalls of file recovery on network shares and introduce you to a swift, easy, and cost-effective solution that will save you time and frustration.

Why Deleted Files Aren’t in the Recycle Bin on Network Shares?

The reason deleted files from network shares don’t appear in the Windows Recycle Bin is straightforward. Windows is designed to capture deleted files only on local drives. When a file is deleted from a server within a network shared folder, it doesn’t vanish from the local machine, so the Recycle Bin doesn’t capture it. This holds true for files deleted from attached or removable drives, as well as files removed from applications or the Command Prompt. The Recycle Bin only comes to the rescue for files deleted from File Explorer on a local drive.

Realistic Recovery Options?

With some types of software, you might be able to recover an earlier saved version of a file deleted from a network shared folder, which would give you the version prior to the deletion. Failing this, the only other way to recover a file deleted from a network share (without a third-party solution—see below) is to have you or your system administrator retrieve an earlier saved version of the file from the most recent backup. This will work if:

a) A version of the file was backed up
b) You did not make any significant changes to the file between backups
c) You can recall the file name so that the system administrator can find it
d) You can recall with some accuracy the time and date when the file was saved

This method may save you, but it is, of course, extremely time consuming for the sys admin—and for the user, too, if you are the one having to wait. Even if the previous version can be retrieved, any work done on the file since the last save is lost forever.

The Effortless Way to Recover Files Deleted from a Network Drive

Thankfully, there’s a swift, hassle-free solution to this perpetual issue: Undelete Instant File Recovery software. If you need to recover a deleted file right now, you can utilize the Emergency Undelete feature included with Undelete.

1. Permanently Solve the Problem: To put this problem behind you for good, download and install the Undelete Server edition. Whether you choose the paid version or the free trial, you’ll find the installation process extremely fast and user-friendly—no server reboots required, which is crucial for servers running databases or applications that demand constant uptime.

2. Discover the Undelete Recovery Bin: After installation, you’ll notice a significant change: the Windows Recycle Bin is replaced by the powerful Undelete Recovery Bin. This bin doesn’t just capture files deleted from network shares but also those overwritten on the user’s drive, files deleted between backups, and files deleted from the Command Prompt.

3. Test It Yourself: Create a test file within a network drive shared folder and delete it. You’ll see that your file has vanished from the server, just as expected. Now, open the Undelete Recovery Bin, easily navigate to the shared folder from which you deleted the file, and there you’ll find it again. Feel free to watch our engineer demonstrate it in this video.

4. Recover with Ease: Select the file and recover it to its original location or save it to a new destination.

5. You’re Done! That’s how straightforward it is.

In a world where even the occasional loss of important files from network shares can be a frustrating reality, Undelete Instant File Recovery software stands as your dependable lifesaver. Whether you’re a system administrator or an end user, this solution empowers you to recover deleted files quickly and effortlessly. Don’t let the disruptive loss of files hinder your workflow—take control with Undelete.

Users Can Recover Their Own Deleted Files from Network Shares

Users might not always have access to the server, but with the Undelete Client installed on their system, they can open Undelete on the remote Network Share, follow the above steps, and view and recover their own files. It’s important to note that users are only shown and allowed to recover files on shared network drives for which they have sufficient ownership or system privileges. NTFS permissions are applied, ensuring that users can only restore data from file shares they have permission to access. Plus, it’s worth noting that each Undelete Server edition includes unlimited Undelete Clients, all at no additional cost.

How to Get Started With Undelete Server

The best way to start is by purchasing Undelete Server for only $200/year per server. With a 30-day unconditional money-back guarantee, it’s a risk-free investment. Each Server license includes unlimited Client licenses, allowing your users to recover their own deleted files from network shares (users only have access to their files). You can also try Undelete for free for 30 days, though note that the trial version doesn’t recover files that have already been deleted. For such cases, you’ll need the Emergency Undelete feature included in the paid version.

For just $200/year per server, it makes sense to invest in a solution trusted by over 50,000 organizations, from government agencies to universities to small businesses. You can rely on Undelete too.

Ready to take control of your file recovery? Buy Online Now!

Updated October 10, 2023

To see a Condusiv engineer show you how to recover files deleted over the network watch this video.

The post How to Recover Deleted Files from Network Shares appeared first on Condusiv - The Diskeeper Company.

With a myriad of potential hardware solutions for storage I/O performance problems, the burning question on many IT managers’ minds is this: “If I just buy newer, faster storage, won’t that fix my application performance problem?” The succinct answer is: “Maybe Yes (for a while), Quite Possibly No.”

This article aims to shed light on three key issues that significantly impact I/O performance, potentially causing degradation of your applications by 30-50% or more. While there are other factors at play, let’s zoom in on these three critical ones:

1. Non-Application I/O Overhead:

One commonly overlooked performance issue is that a substantial number of I/O operations are NOT generated by your applications. Even if you bolster your system with ample DRAM and transition to an NVMe direct attached storage model to achieve an impressive 80%+ caching rate for your application data, you can’t ignore the fact that numerous I/Os stem from sources other than your application. These non-essential overhead I/Os, often related to managing metadata and system layers, can clog the data path to storage, even with substantial caches in place. In essence, they obstruct and decelerate your application-specific I/Os, hampering responsiveness.

While a full Hyper-Converged, NVMe-based storage infrastructure might seem appealing, it presents its own challenges, including data redundancy and localization.

2. Data Pipelines:

As your data volume skyrockets into the realms of hundreds of terabytes, petabytes, or even exabytes, you must grapple with the reality that a single server box, regardless of its capabilities, can’t house all that data—especially if you’re concerned about hardware and data failures. You have an entire ecosystem of servers, switches, SANs, and more to manage. Data must traverse this intricate network to reach your applications and storage, and introducing cloud storage into the mix only complicates matters further. Eventually, data pipelines themselves become bottlenecks, unable to match the speed of access offered by high-speed storage. When multiple users and applications clamor for data simultaneously, the problem magnifies.

3. File System Overhead:

You didn’t invest in your computer to merely run an operating system; your primary objective is to manipulate data effectively. The application is merely a tool that facilitates this, allowing you and your users to get work done and do a better job. However, sitting between you, your application, and your data is a stack of tools, with the operating system as one of its core components. Operating systems employ file systems to organize raw data into manageable components, creating a hierarchical structure with folders, files, file types, size, location, ownership, and security attributes. Before your data transforms into the masterpiece you envision, numerous operations within the operating and file systems must take place. Ignoring file system overhead while focusing solely on application overhead is akin to ignoring a massive elephant in the room.

Putting It All into Perspective

In the quest to solve application performance woes, the allure of faster storage is undeniable. However, as we’ve explored, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. Non-application I/O overhead, data pipeline challenges, and file system complexities can persist even with the latest storage technologies. It’s not about ignoring the potential of faster storage; it’s about recognizing that the broader ecosystem plays a pivotal role in performance optimization.

So, before you embark on a storage upgrade journey, take a holistic approach. Consider the entire data path, from application to storage, and explore solutions that address these multifaceted challenges.

Experience the Difference with DymaxIO

Now, you might be pondering the initial question: “If I just buy newer, faster storage, won’t that fix my application performance?” While it’s true that a shiny new (expensive) storage solution can yield improvements, it won’t address the underlying issues of data pipelines, non-application I/O overhead, and file system overhead. These issues persist, lurking beneath the surface.

At Condusiv, we understand these challenges intimately. We’ve been dedicated to solving storage performance problems across all layers for a considerable period. We’ve witnessed numerous hardware solutions promising to eradicate storage slowness, only to be replaced by newer challenges as technology evolves. As computing speeds surge and storage capacities expand, your demands on these resources will grow exponentially. That’s where we excel—anticipating and resolving issues before they impact your operations.

We invite you to download our free 30-day trial of DymaxIO. Our software is designed to address critical storage performance bottlenecks, ensuring that your users experience even greater improvements, and you appear as the genius IT manager you are.

So, go ahead and explore that shiny new storage option, but remember, we’ll be here to bridge the gaps and make your IT environment truly shine.

Download the 30-day free trial of DymaxIO and witness the transformation of your storage performance today!

The post Unlocking the Truth: Can Faster Storage Alone Rescue Your Application Performance Woes? appeared first on Condusiv - The Diskeeper Company.

What is I/O Performance?

I/O performance measures the speed at which data is transferred between a Windows Server’s hardware components and its storage devices. This crucial aspect significantly impacts system responsiveness, application loading times, and overall server efficiency. Even with advancements in CPU power, disk drives (HDDs or SSDs), storage controllers, system memory (RAM), and network interfaces, the challenge of I/O bottlenecks persists.

Impact of Poor I/O Performance on Windows Servers

1. Slow Application Performance: Picture a scenario where a critical sales dashboard takes agonizing seconds to load, leaving frustrated users staring at a spinning wheel rather than timely insights. Poor I/O performance translates to sluggish application response times, eroding productivity and sapping user satisfaction.
2. Increased Downtime: Imagine a high-traffic period—a rush of data flowing in and out—only for the server to buckle under the pressure, crashing unexpectedly. Inadequate I/O performance can transform a bustling operational environment into a realm of downtime, disrupting operations and risking business continuity.
3. Reduced Virtualization Efficiency: Envision a virtualized landscape where the efficiency of virtual machines (VMs) hinges on seamless I/O operations. A server with lackluster I/O performance stifles the potential of VMs, constraining scalability and hindering resource optimization.
4. Backup and Recovery Challenges: Consider a critical moment when disaster strikes, and recovery efforts are underway. Sluggish I/O performance stretches the time needed to back up data or restore it from backups, delaying recovery and undermining business resilience.
5. Longer Boot and Shutdown Times: Put yourself in the shoes of a user awaiting system access. Slow I/O operations during startup and shutdown extend wait times, leaving users tapping their fingers and affecting the overall accessibility of the system.

Solutions to Boost I/O Performance

In the realm of addressing suboptimal I/O performance, a swift and effective approach is paramount, especially in IT landscapes where time is precious and disruptions are to be minimized. To cater to these pressing needs, the first two solutions outlined here emerge as prime contenders. Offering rapid implementation, cost-efficiency, and the ability to alleviate a multitude of I/O performance challenges, these solutions stand as reliable pillars for IT managers seeking immediate results.

1. Storage Optimization: Beyond conventional approaches lies the realm of modern storage optimization—a strategic evolution that redefines data arrangement on storage media. By adopting this paradigm shift, organizations can ensure efficient data retrieval and heightened system response. Innovative solutions like DymaxIO harness intelligent technologies, liberating systems from outdated methods and guaranteeing peak performance. By embracing such optimization practices, you can ensure optimal system performance without the burden of excessive costs and time investments.
2. Caching Mechanisms: Accelerate data access through advanced caching techniques. Harness built-in options like Read-Only Cache (ROC), Read/Write Cache (RWC), and Write-Back Cache (WBC) on Windows Server. Solutions like DymaxIO introduce groundbreaking technologies such as IntelliMemory^®, a patented read I/O optimization engine that harnesses idle DRAM for maximum performance.
3. Solid State Drives (SSDs): Elevating I/O performance through SSD upgrades offers a notable acceleration in read and write speeds. Despite SSD costs becoming more reasonable, the process of hardware migration is not without its complexities and time commitments. If you choose to embark on this route, it’s worth noting that DymaxIO optimizes SSD performance. For a deeper understanding of this optimization process, you can explore technical details here.
4. RAID Configurations: RAID offers performance and redundancy benefits. However, it may require careful planning, hardware investments, and time-consuming implementation.
5. Optimize RAM and Paging: Match RAM to needs, reducing reliance on disk-based paging. Isolate the page file on separate fault-tolerant storage, avoiding multi-page files on one disk for streamlined performance. This approach may necessitate investments in additional hardware and configuration adjustments, potentially extending implementation time.

By strategically evaluating the cost-effectiveness and time implications of each solution, organizations can make informed decisions that align with their IT priorities and resources. For those seeking swift, impactful enhancements without the constraints of extensive expenditures and time commitments, solutions like storage optimization and intelligent caching emerge as transformative options.

The Fastest and Easiest Solution: Automatic I/O Performance Optimization

Amid the array of solutions designed to enhance I/O performance, an indispensable approach stands out, perfectly aligning with the needs of modern IT environments. Automatic I/O performance optimization is a solution tailor-made for IT managers and SysAdmins seeking prompt, effective results without the need for expensive hardware, excessive time, or code changes. The result is a server operating at its prime efficiency, all achieved without the need for constant human oversight.

Discover the effortless way to transform your server’s performance—explore the unparalleled speed and simplicity of automatic I/O performance optimization.

Why DymaxIO’s Automatic I/O Performance Optimization Shines

DymaxIO introduces a suite of intelligent technologies that boost I/O performance. Take, for instance, IntelliMemory—a patented read I/O optimization engine that capitalizes on available DRAM to cache frequently accessed data. This server-side DRAM read caching engine zeroes in on the most taxing I/O operations. By doing so, it significantly reduces the reliance on storage devices, fast-tracking data retrieval and bolstering system-wide responsiveness.

IntelliWrite^® patented write optimization technology revolutionizes write operations by curbing excessively small, fragmented, and random writes and reads. By offering file size intelligence to Windows, IntelliWrite ensures optimized allocation at the logical disk layer, facilitating large, contiguous writes and reads. This intelligent approach minimizes I/O operations, combating the detrimental impact of the “I/O blender”* effect for superior performance.

As an IT manager, this means a server that operates optimally with minimal intervention—translating into peak performance, saved time and happy users.

DymaxIO doesn’t function in isolation—it seamlessly integrates with the comprehensive solutions previously outlined. This synergy maximizes benefits while minimizing complexities, presenting IT managers with a holistic strategy that encompasses various techniques for a unified performance boost.

In essence, while the quest for enhanced I/O performance involves multifaceted solutions, DymaxIO’s automatic optimization shines as the beacon of efficiency. Its ability to rapidly enhance I/O operations, reduce disruptions, and harmoniously integrate with existing solutions positions it as a transformative force in the realm of I/O performance optimization.

Witness the Transformation Yourself

Don’t just take our word for it—experience the remarkable impact firsthand. Grab your chance to enhance performance by downloading the complimentary 30-day trial of the revolutionary DymaxIO I/O performance acceleration software. Discover the potential as you explore over 20 case studies showcasing how this software has effectively doubled the performance of vital applications like MS-SQL across diverse environments. Don’t miss out; ignite your server’s capabilities today.

Download a 30-day trial of DymaxIO to experience faster application response times, reduced downtime, and a more efficient server environment here.

References:

RAID https://www.westerndigital.com/solutions/raid
SSDs https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.4?topic=overview-solid-state-drives
RAM and paging file https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/performance-tuning/hardware/
Performance Monitor https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/ask-the-performance-team/windows-performance-monitor-overview/ba-p/375481
Windows is still Windows https://condusiv.com/windows-is-still-windows-whether-in-the-cloud-on-hyperconverged-or-all-flash/
IntelliWrite https://condusiv.com/intelliwrite-behind-the-magic-curtain/
IntelliMemory https://condusiv.com/caching-is-king/

*As much as virtualization has helped server efficiency, the downside is it adds complexity to the data path, otherwise known as the “I/O blender effect”, that mixes and randomizes IO streams. When there are multiple VMs on a host, or multiple hosts with VMs that use the same back-end storage system (e.g., a SAN) a “blender” effect occurs when all these VMs are sending I/O requests up and down the stack. This can create huge performance bottlenecks. In fact, perhaps the most significant issue that virtualized environments face is the fact that there are MANY performance chokepoints in the ecosystem, especially the storage subsystem. These chokepoints are robbing 30-50% of your throughput.

The post Unlocking Windows Server Efficiency: Mastering I/O Performance for Exceptional Results appeared first on Condusiv - The Diskeeper Company.

– 43% reduction in Read I/Os
– 23% reduction in Write I/Os
– A impressive 29 minutes of saved storage I/O time

This means faster speeds, greater efficiency, and an optimized system that takes your PC’s performance to a whole new level. Check out the performance dashboard screenshots showcasing these exceptional gains:

Why should you upgrade to DymaxIO for your PC?

• Restore Blazing Performance: Is your older Windows PC showing signs of slowing down? DymaxIO can breathe new life into it, delivering performance that’s even faster than when it was brand new. Experience the joy of increased productivity while saving money on unnecessary hardware upgrades.
• Keep Your New PC at Its Best: Don’t let performance degradation frustrate you. DymaxIO optimizes your new PC’s performance, ensuring it operates at its peak potential day after day.
• Prolong SSD and PC Life: DymaxIO’s intelligent optimizations prevent unnecessary wear and tear on your SSD and PC components, extending their lifespan and saving you from costly replacements.
• Boost Efficiency: With DymaxIO, your PC operates more efficiently, allowing you to get more done in less time.
• Set It and Forget It: DymaxIO’s automated processes make it effortless to enjoy the benefits. Simply “Set It and Forget It”® while DymaxIO works its magic, making your life easier.

Unlock the true potential of your Windows PC with DymaxIO today!

Purchase DymaxIO Here

Warm Regards,
Condusiv Customer Success

P.S. Don’t let your PC’s true potential go untapped. Experience the unmatched performance boost with DymaxIO. Act now to make the most of its remarkable benefits!

P.P.S. DymaxIO was initially developed for Windows Servers to automatically improve their performance and reliability. Due to high demand from our valued customers, we introduced a Client edition for personal use, ensuring that both your PCs and servers can benefit from the power of DymaxIO. If you manage Windows Servers, you can optimize their I/O performance for peak efficiency. Try it now with a free 30-day trial for your servers here.

The post Unveiling the Magic: Chief Architect’s Astonishing DymaxIO Results Revealed! appeared first on Condusiv - The Diskeeper Company.

As the day neared its end, Alex was very happy with his work and saved the final version of the file to the shared network drive. However, just as he was about to head out for the evening, he decided to quickly clean up the files in the shared folder so that it would be nice and neat in the morning. In his rush to complete the task, he made a grave mistake – he accidentally deleted the file he had been working on all day. Panic set in as he realized what he had done. All that hard work, gone in a blink.

With trembling hands, Alex picked up the phone and called the IT manager, Mark, knowing last night’s backup would not have all his recent changes, yet hoping for a miracle. Mark was known for his exceptional problem-solving skills, but even he felt a knot in his stomach as he heard the desperation in Alex’s voice.

“Mark, I made a terrible mistake,” Alex explained. “I worked all day on the client’s file, and now it’s gone. I accidentally deleted it from the shared file location on the server. Is there anything you can do to help?”

Breathing a sigh of relief when he heard the problem, Mark calmly reassured Alex. “Don’t worry, Alex. We have a safety net in place. I installed Undelete Server on the server recently. Let me take a look, and I’m sure we can recover the file.”

Feeling a glimmer of hope, Alex stayed on the phone as Mark got to work. Mark had learned from past experiences that data recovery was a delicate process, and patience was key. With each passing second, Alex’s anxiety lessened slightly as he heard Mark’s fingers make a few clicks.

After just a moment, Mark’s voice was cheerful with relief. “We got it! The file is safe and sound,” he announced.

Alex let out the breath he had been holding, feeling as though a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders. “Thank you, Mark. You saved the day,” he said gratefully.

Mark said warmly. “That’s what I’m here for. Always happy to help.” He explained how Undelete Server had come to their rescue, efficiently recovering the file despite the accidental deletion.

As Alex closed his computer and prepared to leave, he couldn’t help but feel grateful for having Mark as their IT manager. His quick thinking, expertise, and foresight had saved the day. Undelete Server had not only rescued the vital file but also instilled a sense of security and confidence in the team.

From that day on, whenever Alex or any other employee faced a similar predicament, they knew they could rely on Undelete Server and their skilled IT manager, Mark, to come to their rescue. The incident taught them the importance of having a safety net in place, and they became even more appreciative of the seamless file recovery solution that was right at their fingertips.

Looking to safeguard your company’s critical data and prevent disastrous file losses? Ensure your team never faces the heart-stopping panic of accidental deletions with Undelete Server, the ultimate data recovery solution trusted by tens of thousands of organizations worldwide.

Undelete Server offers you peace of mind, empowering your IT team to recover deleted files from network shares swiftly and effortlessly. With just a few clicks, Undelete Server’s powerful Recovery Bin captures files deleted from shared folders, applications, versions, command prompt, and even those lost between backups. No more time-consuming data restoration or loss of critical work progress.

Equip your IT manager with Undelete Server and let them be the hero your team deserves, rescuing crucial files with ease. Say goodbye to unnecessary downtime and the fear of data loss and welcome a future of seamless data recovery.

Don’t let accidental deletions haunt your organization. Backed by a risk-free 30-day trial and unparalleled customer support, investing in Undelete Server is investing in your company’s peace of mind. Join the ranks of satisfied customers and safeguard your data with Undelete Server’s cutting-edge technology.

Download free 30-day trial here

Purchase now here

The post A Rescue in the Nick of Time: A Tale of Server File Recovery and IT Heroes appeared first on Condusiv - The Diskeeper Company.

The Data Center View

Using some simple “whiteboard” graphics, let’s start with the Data Center view. In every Data Center, you have the same basic hardware layers. You have your compute layer, your network layer, and your storage layer. The point of having this hardware infrastructure is not just to house your data, but it’s to create a magical performance threshold to run your applications smoothly so your business can run smoothly.

As long as your hardware doesn’t crash, and you don’t lose any data, and as long as all your applications fit nicely and neatly inside your performance boundary, well then, life is good!

The Troublesome Applications

But, in every organization, there are always, and we mean always, one or two applications that are the most harrowing in the business, that are pushing the performance boundaries and thresholds that your architecture can deliver, that simply need more performance.

We often see this as applications running on SQL or Oracle, it could be Exchange or SharePoint. We see a lot of file servers, web servers, image applications, and backups. It could be one of the acronyms: VDI, BI, CRM, ERP, you name it.

As soon as you have an application that is testing the I/O ceilings in your environment under peak load, what happens?

• applications get sluggish
• users start complaining
• back-office batch jobs start taking far too long
• backups start failing to complete in their window
• users running certain reports get frustrated

Now you’re getting all this pressure from outside of IT to jump in and solve this problem, and NOW.

Throwing Hardware ($$$) at the Problem

Typically, what do most IT professionals at least think that they must do to boost application performance? They think they must throw more hardware at the problem to fix it. This means adding in more servers and more storage, expensive storage. Probably an All-flash array to support a particular application, or maybe a Hybrid to support another application. And ultimately this ends up being a very, very expensive, not to mention disruptive, way to solve performance problems.

Spending Less (Much less) To Solve Application Performance Problems

What if you could install some software that would magically eliminate the toughest performance problems on your existing hardware infrastructure?

We have thousands of organizations using this software-only solution, some of them the largest organizations in the world, and most of the time they’re seeing at least a 50% performance boost in application performance, but many of them see far more than that.

Our website is littered with case studies citing at least a doubling in performance. It’s the reason why Gartner named us the Cool Vendor of the year when we brought this technology to the market.

Now you may wonder, “how can a 100% software approach have this kind of impact on performance?” To understand that, we have to get under the hood of this technology stack to see the severe I/O inefficiencies that are robbing you of the performance that you paid for.

The Severe Performance-Robbing I/O Inefficiencies

As great as virtualization has been for server efficiency, the one downside is how it adds complexity to the data path. Voila, the I/O blender effect that mixes and randomizes the I/O streams from all of the disparate VMs that are sitting on the same host hypervisor. And, if that performance penalty wasn’t bad enough, up higher you have a performance penalty even worse with Windows on a VM. Windows doesn’t play well in a virtual environment, doesn’t play well in any environment where it’s abstracted from the physical layer. So, what this means is you end up with I/O characteristics that are far smaller, more fractured, and more random than they need to be. Physical systems experience similar inefficiencies also. It’s the perfect trifecta for bad storage performance.

For peak application performance, you want:

• an I/O profile where you’re getting nice, clean contiguous writes and reads
• a nice healthy relationship between I/O and data
• maximum payload with every I/O operation
• sequential manner of your traffic

In a virtual environment running a Windows machine, this is not what you get. Instead, what you get is many small, tiny reads and writes. And all of this means that you need far more I/O than is needed to process any given workload, and it creates a death-by-a-thousand-cuts scenario. It’s like pouring molasses on your systems. Your hardware infrastructure is processing workloads about 50% slower than they should. In fact, for some of our customers, it’s far worse than that. For some of our customers, their applications barely run. And, for some, their users can barely use the application because they’re timing out so quickly from the I/O demand.

2 Patented Technologies to Restore Performance

Our patented DymaxIO software solves this problem, and we solve it in two ways.

The first way that we solve this problem is within the Windows file system. We add a layer of intelligence into the Windows OS where it’s just a very thin file system driver with near zero overhead. It would be difficult for you to even see the CPU footprint! DymaxIO is eliminating all the really small, tiny writes and reads that are chewing up your performance, and displacing it with nice, clean, contiguous writes and reads. So now you’re getting back to having a very healthy relationship between your I/O and data. Now you’re getting that maximum payload with every I/O operation. And the sequential nature of your traffic down to storage has dramatically improved reducing unnecessary I/O where that matters the most.

So, this engine all by itself has a huge application performance impact for our customers, but it’s not the only thing that we do.

The second thing DymaxIO does to help improve overall performance is establish a Tier-0 caching strategy using our DRAM caching engine. DymaxIO is using the idle available DRAM already committed to these VMs that is sitting there and not being used, and we’re putting that to good use. Now, the real genius behind this engine is it’s completely automatic. Nothing has to be allocated for cache. DymaxIO is aware moment by moment of how much memory is unused and only uses that portion to serve reads. You never get any kind of memory contention or resource starvation. If you have a system that’s under-provisioned and memory constrained, that engine will back off completely.

Seeing is Believing

When you consider these 2 engines: one optimizing Writes, and another optimizing Reads, you may wonder “what does this all mean”? Honestly, the best way is to simply just install the software. Try it for yourself on a virtual server or physical server and see your application performance boost. Let it run for a few days, and then pull up our built-in time-saved dashboard where you can see the amount of I/O that we’re offloading from your underlying storage device. And more importantly, see how much time that’s actually saving that individual system. Now, you might want to do a before and after stopwatch test or you might want to look at your storage UI to get a baseline of workloads before so you can see what happens, but really, all you have to do is just install the software and experience the performance and then pull up that time saved dashboard communicating the benefit that means the most to your business: time saved.

Typical Results

Now as far as typical results, this screenshot represents a median of the typical results you can expect. You see the number of I/Os that DymaxIO is removing, but take a look at the percentages right there in the top middle. You’re seeing 45% of Reads that are being served out of DRAM, meaning it’s being offloaded from going down the storage. On the right side, you’re seeing 41% of Write I/O that’s being eliminated. Now, in this typical median system, that saves over 6 days of I/O time over 90 days of testing. This I/O time saved is going to be relative to the intensity of the workload. There are some systems with our software that are saving 5.5 hours in a single day. This translates to a massive application performance boost! ASL Marketing had a SQL import batch job that was taking 27 hours. We cut it down to 12 hours! Talk about huge single-day time savings! ASL case study

What is the sweet spot where you can get optimum performance? Well, we have found out that if a customer can maintain at least 4GB of available DRAM that our software can leverage for cache, it means give or take, but on average, you’re going to see 40% or more of Reads being served. What does that mean? It means essentially this: you have just eliminated over 40% of your Read traffic that’s gone down to your storage device, you’ve opened up all of your precious throughput from the very expensive architecture that you paid for, and you’re serving a large part of your traffic from the storage media that’s faster, more expensive than anything else, 15 times faster than an SSD sitting closer to a processor than anything else.

If you can crank up the 4GB to something even larger, you’re going to get a higher cache hit rate. A good example is the University of Illinois. Their hardest-hitting application was sitting on an Oracle database, it was supported by a very expensive All-flash array. It still wasn’t getting enough performance and so many users were accessing that system. They installed our software and saw 10X performance gains. And that’s because they were able to leverage a good amount of that DRAM and we were able to eliminate all these small, tiny reads and writes that were chewing up their performance (University of Illinois case study).

The typical results screenshot from the DymaxIO dashboard also showed 40%+ Write I/Os Eliminated. This is due to our IntelliWrite technology which dramatically reduces file fragmentation as data is written to storage. This also contributes to large performance gain while Writes are being done and that is especially significant in overcoming the I/O Blender effect. This reduction in Write I/Os also makes a significant contribution to preventing future Read I/Os since the file system will not have to do as many Split I/O operations. Split I/Os cause a single request to access a piece of data to be broken into multiple I/Os requests by the file system due to file fragmentation.

If you have a physical server, physical servers are typically over-provisioned from a memory standpoint. You have more available memory to work with, and you’ll see huge gains on a physical server.

Automatic and Transparent

All this optimization is happening automatically. It is all running transparently in the background. DymaxIO is set and forget running at near zero overhead. You may wonder, what are some typical use cases or customer examples? You can read our case studies with examples of customers where we saved them millions of dollars in new hardware upgrades, helped them extend the life and longevity of their existing hardware infrastructure, doubled performance, tripled SQL queries, cut backup times in half, you name it.

You can easily install and evaluate DymaxIO on your own on one virtual server and one physical server. However, in a virtual environment, you will see far better performance gains if you evaluate the software on all the VMs that are sitting on the same host hypervisor. This has to do with the I/O blender effect and chatty neighbor issues. So, if that’s the case, and you have more than 10 VMs on the host, you may want to contact us about getting our centralized management console that makes deployment to many servers at once easy. It’s that simple.

We look forward to helping you solve the toughest application performance problems in your Windows environment while saving you a ton of money!

The post Solving the Toughest Application Performance Problems on a Budget appeared first on Condusiv - The Diskeeper Company.

     If I just buy newer, faster Storage, won’t that fix my application performance problem?

The short answer is:

     Maybe Yes (for a while), Quite Possibly No.

I know – not a satisfying answer. For the next couple of minutes, I want to take a 10,000-foot view of just three issues that affect I/O performance to shine some technical light on the question and hopefully give you a more satisfying answer (or maybe more questions) as you look to discover IT truth. There are other issues, but let’s spend just a moment looking at the following three:

1. Non-Application I/O Overhead
2. Data Pipelines
3. File System Overhead

These three issues by themselves can create I/O bottlenecks causing degradation to your applications of 30-50% or more.

#1 Non-Application I/O Overhead:

One of the most commonly overlooked performance issues is that an awful lot of I/Os are NOT application generated. Maybe you can add enough DRAM and go to an NVMe direct attached storage model and get your application data cached at an 80%+ rate. Of course, you still need to process Writes and the NVMe probably makes that a lot faster than what you can do today. But you still need to get it to the Storage. And, there are lots of I/Os generated on your system that are not directly from your application. There’s also lots of application related I/Os that are not targeted for caching – they’re simply non-essential overhead I/Os to manage metadata and such. People generally don’t think about the management layers of the computer and application that have to perform Storage I/O just to make sure everything can run. Those I/Os hit the data path to Storage along with the I/Os your application has to send to Storage, even if you have huge caches. They get in the way and make your Application specific I/Os stall and slow down responsiveness.

And let’s face it, a full Hyper-Converged, NVMe based storage infrastructure sounds great, but there are lots of issues besides the enormous cost with that. What about data redundancy and localization? That brings us to issue # 2.

#2 Data Pipelines:

Since your data is exploding and you’re pushing 100s of Terabytes, perhaps Petabytes and in a few cases maybe even Exabytes of data, you’re not going to get that much data on your one server box, even if you didn’t care about hardware/data failures.

Like it or not, you have an entire infrastructure of Servers, Switches, SANs, whatever. Somehow, all that data needs to get to and from the application and wherever it is stored. And if you add Cloud storage into the mix, it gets worse. At some point the data pipes themselves become the limiting factor. Even with Converged infrastructures, and software technologies that stage data for you where it is supposedly needed most, data needs to be constantly shipped along a pipe that is nowhere close to the speed of access that your new high-speed storage can handle. Then add lots of users and applications simultaneously beating on that pipe and you can quickly start to visualize the problem.

If this wasn’t enough, there are other factors and that takes us to issue #3.

#3 File System Overhead:

You didn’t buy your computer to run an operating system. You bought it to manipulate data. Most likely, you don’t even really care about the actual application. You care about doing some kind of work. Most people use Microsoft Word to write documents. I did to draft this blog. But I didn’t really care about using Word. I cared about writing this blog and Word was something I had, I knew how to use and was convenient for the task. That’s your application, but manipulating the data is your real conquest. The application is a tool to allow you to paint a beautiful picture of your data, so you can see it and accomplish your job better.

The Operating System (let’s say Windows), is one of a whole stack of tools between you, your application and your data. Operating Systems have lots of layers of software to manage the flow from your user to the data and back. Storage is a BLOB of stuff. Whether it is spinning hard drives, SSDs, SANs, cloud-based storage, or you name it, it is just a canvas where the data can be stored. One of the first strokes of the brush that will eventually allow you to create that picture you want from your data is the File System. It brings some basic order. You can see this by going into Windows File Explorer and perusing the various folders. The file system abstracts that BLOB into pieces of data in a hierarchical structure with folders, files, file types, information about size/location/ownership/security, etc… you get the idea. Before the painting you want to see from your data emerges, a lot of strokes need to be placed on the canvas and a lot of those strokes happen from the Operating and File Systems. They try to manage that BLOB so your Application can turn it into usable data and eventually that beautiful (we hope) picture you desire to draw.

Most people know there is an Operating System and those of you reading this know that Operating Systems use File Systems to organize raw data into useful components. And there are other layers as well, but let’s focus. The reality is there are lots of layers that have to be compensated for. Ignoring file system overhead and focusing solely on application overhead is ignoring a really big Elephant in the room.

The Wrap Up

Let’s wrap this up and talk about the initial question. If I just buy newer, faster Storage won’t that fix my application performance? I suppose if you have enough money you might think you can. You’ll still have data pipeline issues unless you have a very small amount of data, little if any data/compute redundancy requirements and a very limited number of users. And yet, the File System overhead will still get in your way.

When SSDs were starting to come out, Condusiv worked with several OEMs to produce software to handle obvious issues like the fact that writes were slower and re-writes were limited in number. In doing that work, one of our surprise discoveries was that when you got beyond a certain level of file system fragmentation, the File System overhead of trying to collect/arrange the small pieces of data made a huge impact regardless of how fast the underlying storage was. Just making sure data wasn’t broken down into too many pieces each time a need to manipulate it came along provided truly measurable and, in some instances, gave incredible performance gains.

Then there is that whole issue of I/Os that have nothing to do with your data/application. We also discovered that there was a path to finding/eliminating the I/Os that, while not obvious, made substantial differences in performance because we could remove those out of the flow, thus allowing the I/Os your application wants to perform happen without the noise. Think of traffic jams. Have you ever driven in stop and go traffic and noticed there aren’t any accidents or other distractions to account for such slowness?  It’s just too many vehicles on the road with you.  What if you could get all the people who were just out for a drive, off the road?  You’d get where you want to go a LOT faster.  That’s what we figured out how to do.  And it turns out no one else is focused on that – not the Operating System, not the File System, and certainly not your application.

And then you got swamped with more data. Okay, so you’re in an industry where regulations forced that decision on you. Either way, you get the point. There was a time when 1GB was more storage than you would ever need. Not too long ago, 1TB was the ultimate. Now that embedded SSD on your laptop is 1TB. Before too long, your phone will have 1TB of storage. Mine has 512GB, but hey I’m a geek and MicroSD cards are cheap. My point is that the explosion of data in your computing environment strains File System Architectures. The good news is that we’ve built technologies to compensate for and fix limitations in the File System.

Where I get to Have Fun

Let me wrap this up by giving you a 10,000-foot view of us and our software. The big picture is we have been focused on Storage Performance for a very long time and at all layers. We’ve seen lots of hardware solutions that were going to fix Storage slowness. And we’ve seen that about the time a new generation comes along, there will be reasons it will still not fix the problem. Maybe it does today, but tomorrow you’ll overtax that solution as well. As computing gets faster and storage gets denser, your needs/desires to use it will grow even faster. We are constantly looking into the crystal ball knowing the future presents new challenges. We know by looking into the rear-view mirror, the future doesn’t solve the problem, it just means the problems are different. And that’s where I get to have fun.  I get to work on solving those problems before you even realize they exist. That’s what turns us on. That’s what we do, and we have been doing it for a long time and, with all due modesty, we’re really good at it!

So yes, go ahead and buy that shiny new toy. It will help, and your users will see improvements for a time. But we’ll be there filling in those gaps and your users will get even greater improvements. And that’s where we really shine. We make you look like the true genius you are, and we love doing it.

Rick Cadruvi, Chief Architect

Originally Published on Sep 20, 2018. Last updated Jan 17, 2023

The post Why Faster Storage May NOT Fix It appeared first on Condusiv - The Diskeeper Company.

IntelliWrite^® is one of a suite of technologies that optimize the Windows Storage I/O subsystem so that Applications can get to and from the Storage layer much faster and process a lot more data.  Remember when we used to talk about Data Processing? Processing data is WHY you bought your hardware. Oh, I know some people have to have the latest and greatest shiny new toys. But few people can slide that by their bosses as everyone wants to maximize production while limiting their costs. IntelliWrite works with our other patented technologies to get you more data processed with less resources.

As the name implies, we make writes happen far more intelligently. For some of you reading this article, your mind immediately jumps to write caching. Not an unreasonable assumption, especially given our state of the art read caching technology – IntelliMemory^®. However, IntelliWrite isn’t even in that same ballpark. IntelliWrite gets involved before the first write even happens. It doesn’t cache or defer writes. It makes writes, and subsequent reads, larger and less random. With IntelliWrite, writes flow to and from Storage without delay or risk. IntelliWrite is safe because it is not altering or changing the data content and the Windows file system is still in control of handling the I/O request.

Highly Efficient and Effective File Allocations

The beauty of IntelliWrite is that it accomplishes this with very little overhead. It sits between your applications and the Windows File System, using the Microsoft Filter Manager, to ensure that file allocations are done in a highly efficient and effective manner. This corrects a serious problem few people are aware of, or even stop to think about, long before data flows to and from the Storage I/O stack. As a result, writes and subsequent read flow to Storage even faster, and hit Storage quicker, because of what IntelliWrite does. Plus, you are getting the optimal performance from your storage because all storage, HDDs and SSDs, process the data faster and more efficiently with the larger reads and writes.

The Filesystem Issues

Are you ready for that peek behind the curtain? What does IntelliWrite do that contributes to the overall amazing results of our Storage I/O optimization software? Before we get right to it, let’s just visit a little bit of history. We invented live file system optimization (defragmentation) so cleanup could be done without having to take your storage offline. When Windows NT was coming out, Microsoft asked us to do it for them. A long time ago in some long lost galaxy, we realized that the layer in the operating system that took care of dynamic data allocation/deallocation (the filesystem), while doing a great job solving that problem, was having issues with how users created and deleted data. And, the problem was only going to get worse.

Over time, free space became much more fragmented. As storage got larger and cheaper, your demands for it grew exponentially. Imagine if the filesystem decided to keep in RAM all the data about where available space on your volume was so it could try to deal with that problem better. The people who built the file system were really smart.  They realized it would become a fool’s errand. So, they created caches for most recently deleted data to make it easy to find a convenient place to put the new piece of data you wanted to save to the dynamically allocated storage.

The Magic

Besides being the first to do live defragmentation, we were the first to realize you couldn’t move all the data on a volume to repair the damage done during the normal course of creating/deleting/writing data. After all, even though our software is awesome, you didn’t buy that flashy hardware to run our software – you bought it to process your data. So, we started creating technologies to get in front of the explosion of data stored. In fact, we are still inventing technologies in our labs to get in front of the next generation of problems you will face before they cause you too many headaches.

IntelliWrite is one of those technologies. The magic behind it is that it helps prevent the issues related to how data gets stored and used before it even becomes a problem. This isn’t done by caching writes. It’s done by knowing how that new piece of data you want to save to Storage is going to get used before the very first write goes down to Storage. Through Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics, we figure out how much data you are likely to be wanting to read/write in a single operation to that piece of data you want to save (write/allocate). We take what we have learned, and we tell the filesystem to not default to its normal allocation algorithm. Instead, we tell it that this data is going to be utilized in larger pieces than what the file system wants to default allocations to. We tell it how you intend to use it before you even get there, causing Windows to make better dynamic allocation choices.

Processing More Data

What happens as a result? Windows allocates the dynamic disk storage in a more contiguous manner. Windows in essence says:

“Thank you very much. My users will now be able to process a lot more data and do it a lot faster because I don’t have to break up all those data requests into much smaller and more random requests.”

And we say:

“You’re very welcome. By the way, we’ve got some other technologies that will handle more of these kinds of issues and let your users process even more data even faster and prevent all that cross-talk sometimes referred to as the “I/O Blender Effect”. And, in case you didn’t notice, Windows, IntelliWrite already lessened the I/O Blender Effect before our other technologies even got involved.”

Of course, that’s a discussion for another time.

If you are already using our software with our “magic” IntelliWrite technology, thank you. If you have not tried it out yet, feel free to give it a thorough testing; you can buy it here or run a 30-day trial here.

Rick Cadruvi, Chief Architect

Published on: May 15, 2020. Last updated Jan 17, 2023.

The post IntelliWrite – Behind the Magic Curtain appeared first on Condusiv - The Diskeeper Company.