April 2, 20251 yr "Hello, I'm exploring options to improve the handling of small files on my UNRAID server and I'm curious about the possibility of using a RAM disk as a cache. It seems that using an SSD for cache purposes can lead to premature wear, especially with frequent small file operations. I'm wondering if a RAM disk could be a viable alternative, offering faster performance for these types of files. Specifically, I'd like to know: Is it possible to configure a RAM disk as a cache drive within UNRAID? If so, are there any plugins or configurations required to achieve this? What are the potential benefits and drawbacks of using a RAM disk as a cache in this scenario? Are there any considerations regarding data loss in the event of a power outage or system crash? Are there users that have already implemented similiar solutions and what are there experiences ? Any insights or recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thank you."
April 2, 20251 yr Community Expert 30 minutes ago, VIDEOMED said: Is it possible to configure a RAM disk as a cache drive within UNRAID? No. However any location not configured to be under /mnt will automatically be in RAM as Unraid runs from RAM but it cannot be part of the Unraid User Share capability. 32 minutes ago, VIDEOMED said: Are there any considerations regarding data loss in the event of a power outage or system crash? Anything in RAM will be lost.
April 2, 20251 yr Author I might not have been precise in my previous message. I'm thinking that creating an additional drive within my UNRAID server using RAM could potentially replace the cache drive used for temporary data during copying. I haven't tested this approach myself, but I'm hesitant to use SSDs for cache due to their limited write endurance, and I worry about premature failures.
April 2, 20251 yr Community Expert There is no built-in or simple way to access Unraid RAM over the network. An application on Unraid, such as a container or script, could be configured to access RAM. 1 hour ago, itimpi said: any location not configured to be under /mnt will automatically be in RAM In fact, we often try to help users who have accidentally done this. Filling the OS RAM space always causes problems since the OS needs this space to work in.
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