I have a 200 or 250 gb cache drive (I don't remember, just installed it when I upgraded since my license supports it now).  I installed cobian, some nicely featured backup software, and was backing up three other servers to my unraid.  Total size is about ~500 gb which is less than I have free on the unRaid

 

It's configured to split the files into 1gb rars for manageability.  This also has the side effect of allowing me to keep the cache disk on the array, since it can move the files not currently being written to and will never fill up.  The mover runs every hour since I work with information I very much need, and use the unRaid server quite a bit. 

 

 

However, my backup folder is now 143 gb.  The cache disk says it has 143 gb used.  the raid disks show no large amounts of writes.  In other words, I don't think it's moving!  I paused the backup pending input from you guys.  Below is an appended version of my log (since theres so many files, all numbered, i just skipped a few with comments).  This is the log of 3 automated moves (the back end of one, two full hourly ) and then the last one at 17:35 is me stopping the backup and manually pressing Move Now.

NOTHING changed on the disks after each move.  It still appears via write data that the cache disk is filling up quickly, and the raid disks aren't touched.  the period before the line is worrying me as well, doesn't that mean it wont' move that file? how would i tell it to?

 

if the answer doesn't seem to be here and instead looks like maybe the backup program is keeping those other files open for some reason, would disableing the cache disk halfway through this operation break it?  or would the backup most likely see no difference as unRaid is handling the change.  Since it's incremental, in the future this cache disk will be plenty, but this first backup is killing me. 

 

sorry for the long post. also the clock is off so pay no attention to the file names

 

...128 lines of files...

Jan  9 16:00:03 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup/PrimaryBackup 2010-01-09 04;11;43.7z.129

Jan  9 16:00:03 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup/PrimaryBackup 2010-01-09 04;11;43.7z.130

Jan  9 16:00:03 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup/PrimaryBackup 2010-01-09 04;11;43.7z.131

Jan  9 16:00:03 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup

Jan  9 16:00:03 MediaServer logger: .d..t...... media/Backup/

Jan  9 16:00:03 MediaServer logger: ./media

Jan  9 16:00:03 MediaServer logger: .

Jan  9 16:00:04 MediaServer logger: mover finished

Jan  9 16:30:05 MediaServer kernel: mdcmd (86911): spindown 0

Jan  9 16:30:05 MediaServer kernel: mdcmd (86912): spindown 3

Jan  9 16:42:46 MediaServer kernel: mdcmd (86989): spindown 1

Jan  9 16:42:46 MediaServer kernel: mdcmd (86990): spindown 4

Jan  9 16:59:01 MediaServer logger: mover started

Jan  9 16:59:01 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup/PrimaryBackup 2010-01-09 04;11;43.7z.001

Jan  9 16:59:01 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup/PrimaryBackup 2010-01-09 04;11;43.7z.002

Jan  9 16:59:01 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup/PrimaryBackup 2010-01-09 04;11;43.7z.003

...133 more lines of that...

Jan  9 16:59:03 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup/PrimaryBackup 2010-01-09 04;11;43.7z.137

Jan  9 16:59:03 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup/PrimaryBackup 2010-01-09 04;11;43.7z.138

Jan  9 16:59:03 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup/PrimaryBackup 2010-01-09 04;11;43.7z.139

Jan  9 16:59:03 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup

Jan  9 16:59:03 MediaServer logger: .d..t...... media/Backup/

Jan  9 16:59:03 MediaServer logger: ./media

Jan  9 16:59:03 MediaServer logger: .

Jan  9 16:59:19 MediaServer logger: mover finished

Jan  9 17:00:01 MediaServer logger: mover started

Jan  9 17:00:01 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup/PrimaryBackup 2010-01-09 04;11;43.7z.001

Jan  9 17:00:01 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup/PrimaryBackup 2010-01-09 04;11;43.7z.002

Jan  9 17:00:01 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup/PrimaryBackup 2010-01-09 04;11;43.7z.003

...132 more lines of that...

Jan  9 17:00:03 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup/PrimaryBackup 2010-01-09 04;11;43.7z.135

Jan  9 17:00:03 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup/PrimaryBackup 2010-01-09 04;11;43.7z.136

Jan  9 17:00:03 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup/PrimaryBackup 2010-01-09 04;11;43.7z.137

Jan  9 17:00:03 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup/PrimaryBackup 2010-01-09 04;11;43.7z.138

Jan  9 17:00:03 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup/PrimaryBackup 2010-01-09 04;11;43.7z.139

Jan  9 17:00:03 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup

Jan  9 17:00:03 MediaServer logger: ./media

Jan  9 17:00:03 MediaServer logger: .

Jan  9 17:00:04 MediaServer logger: mover finished

Jan  9 17:30:07 MediaServer kernel: mdcmd (87274): spindown 0

Jan  9 17:35:41 MediaServer emhttp: shcmd (321): /usr/local/sbin/mover 2>&1 | logger &

Jan  9 17:35:41 MediaServer logger: mover started

Jan  9 17:35:41 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup/PrimaryBackup 2010-01-09 04;11;43.7z.001

Jan  9 17:35:41 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup/PrimaryBackup 2010-01-09 04;11;43.7z.002

Jan  9 17:35:41 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup/PrimaryBackup 2010-01-09 04;11;43.7z.003

...140 more lines of that...

Jan  9 17:35:43 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup/PrimaryBackup 2010-01-09 04;11;43.7z.143

Jan  9 17:35:43 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup/PrimaryBackup 2010-01-09 04;11;43.7z.144

Jan  9 17:35:43 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup/PrimaryBackup 2010-01-09 04;11;43.7z.145

Jan  9 17:35:43 MediaServer logger: ./media/Backup

Jan  9 17:35:43 MediaServer logger: .d..t...... media/Backup/

Jan  9 17:35:43 MediaServer logger: ./media

Jan  9 17:35:43 MediaServer logger: .

Jan  9 17:35:44 MediaServer logger: mover finished

 

If the files are "in use" they won't be copied.  The backup software MIGHT be holding onto the files.  Check lsof to see if this is the case.

I knew there was a command for it.  Thank you, that does seem to be the case.  Would disabling the cache cause issues or should it (the backup program) just continue to write as if nothing had changed since it's all handled by unRaid?

I realized there was no other option so I gave it a try:

 

No, it does not cause any issues and Cobian was unaware anything had changed.  The partially written file continues to be written on the cache drive, and then the next file started on the raid.  I will have to wait until the whole operation is finished to check if the cache drive moves them properly, but I am confident it will at this point once the program is closed.

 

Thank you for the help.