I have been running 4.3.3 Pro for about 5 months with out a problem. I have User shares enabled and the main purpose of the array is to store a database of movies spanned across 7 drives, plus parity.

 

I recently upgraded to 4.4.2 and enabled a cache disk.

 

A top level directory of Movies stores all of the movie files. The Movies is mapped as a local drive on my remote PC and I tried moving some files to that directory, thinking that the files will first go to Cache disk and then sometime later they will be moved to a permanent location on the array. However, when I did that I noticed that the files were being written directly to a particular disk in the array rather than going to the Cache drive.

 

My question are:

 

Do I need to create a directory on the Cache disk with the same name as my other Top Level directory in order for the files to first go to the cache disk? How do I enable the utilization of the cache disk?

 

Once I get that straitened out, how can I modify the schedule of when the files move from the cache to a permanent location? I am not very versed in Linux script.

 

Thanks for the help,

 

Lev

 

Usage of the Cache drive is transparent, so you don't need to do anything to it, or use a special path for it, but you do have to have it configured right.  Some things to try: 

 

The Cache drive needs to be enabled for the Movies share, see this post.

 

Make sure the path you are copying to is the Share path and not directly to the disk, for example, something like //tower/Movies.

 

Sometimes a reboot is necessary after major changes to the User Shares, so it will reload the 'virtual' file system associated with the User Shares.

 

See also the FAQ:  http://lime-technology.com/wiki/index.php?title=FAQ#Cache_Drive.  It links to the most complete description of the Cache drive and its usage here.

 

Note:  For those questioning why empty folders are left behind by the mover, see the link to the description of the Cache drive feature above.  It contains the following quote:

Also, the mover does not delete the directory structure on the cache disk, thus it is possible for many empty directories to accumulate on the cache disk over time.  This will be addressed in a future unRAID OS release.

Thank you very much for the info. The hardest part was to realize that I had to “enable” the cache disk on the user shares by clicking the drop box! I was looking for the included/excluded drives and could not figure out a very simple step! 

 

The step is too simple and I was looking for a more challenging solution!

 

Now, can there be as simple a solution for the change of time schedule during which the cache data is written to the array? 

 

PS: I see that when you write to a share the file is written to both the main share and to the cache disk. I am assuming that the actual file is stored on the cache and only its intended place is initially shown on the intended share. How will I know that the file was moved to the array? Should it disappear from the cache disk? I understand that the main directory, in my case Movies will stay behind; however, the secondary file will “go away” from the cache?

Thank you very much for the info. The hardest part was to realize that I had to “enable” the cache disk on the user shares by clicking the drop box! I was looking for the included/excluded drives and could not figure out a very simple step! 

 

The step is too simple and I was looking for a more challenging solution!

 

Now, can there be as simple a solution for the change of time schedule during which the cache data is written to the array? 

 

PS: I see that when you write to a share the file is written to both the main share and to the cache disk. I am assuming that the actual file is stored on the cache and only its intended place is initially shown on the intended share. How will I know that the file was moved to the array? Should it disappear from the cache disk? I understand that the main directory, in my case Movies will stay behind; however, the secondary file will “go away” from the cache?

 

Yes, the "file" that is showing in the Movies share is not where the actual file currently resides.  Once the mover script is enabled it will move the physical file to the correct share and delete it from the cache.

I have been able to copy to the share, and the directory was successfully created on the cache drive. However, no files were physically moved to the “final resting place” on the array over the night. Am I supposed to enable the mover script? If so - how and where? I was under the impression that the script is enabled automatically when I chose to use the cache disk.

 

By the way, on the Shares page under Cache:

 

Min. free space: 200000

Mover schedule: 40 3 * * *

 

 

I think that I am still missing something… I see that the directories that were created under the main share Movies are still there, but there are no files in them. When I check to corresponding folders on the Array disks, the files are there. Does that mean that the Mover does not delete the folders, rather the files once they are moved?

 

 

I think that I am still missing something… I see that the directories that were created under the main share Movies are still there, but there are no files in them. When I check to corresponding folders on the Array disks, the files are there. Does that mean that the Mover does not delete the folders, rather the files once they are moved?

 

May I refer you back to the latter part of my earlier post here?

Rob,

 

Thanks for the follow up. I understood the “empty folders are left behind by the mover” as the main directories, such as Movies in my case, and not the sub-directories. I was mistaken, but am glad that the mover and the cache disk did its job splendidly. Despite its drawbacks it is still a very welcome addition to a great product.

 

Thanks,

 

Lev

 

Rob,

 

Thanks for the follow up. I understood the “empty folders are left behind by the mover” as the main directories, such as Movies in my case, and not the sub-directories. I was mistaken, but am glad that the mover and the cache disk did its job splendidly. Despite its drawbacks it is still a very welcome addition to a great product.

 

Thanks,

 

Lev

 

You may delete the sub-directories on the cache disk at any time they are empty and not being used for a file copy.  They were left there after moving files to the disk share for fear another file would be written in the empty cache directory while it was in the process of being deleted.  Tom did say at some future time the software would be enhanced to remove them.

 

 

Joe,

 

Thanks for the follow up! Rather simple solution.

 

Lev

 

 

Thanks Rob, my new cache drive did not work until I rebooted the server as you suggested.

 

... Sometimes a reboot is necessary after major changes to the User Shares, so it will reload the 'virtual' file system associated with the User Shares ...