Can PrimoCache rival the Intel Optane System Acceleration ?

FAQ, getting help, user experience about PrimoCache
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Re: Can PrimoCache rival the Intel Optane System Acceleration ?

Post by Support »

As long as the Optane Memory can be correctly recognized by Windows, PrimoCache is able to use it as a level-2 cache.

If you only use the L2 cache (no ram cache), the cache performance shall generally close to the Optane Memory native performance, and in some cases, it even exceeds the Optane Memory itself. We published an article about acceleration experience of using optane memory 16GB as a cache for a HDD or a sata SSD. We also measured its read/write speed. Please see
viewtopic.php?f=33&t=4532

Optane Memory has much higher read performance than normal SSDs, while its write performance is not good. So Intel launched it for read acceleration to speed up Windows boot and application startup etc. Of course, its write performance still higher than normal HDDs.

For level-2 cache, usually 20GB cache capacity is enough for most Windows and applications and user data. Of course, as others pointed out, it depends on data usage pattern. If there are a large amount of data frequently accessed in daily work, then you may think about a bigger cache to get higher cache hit rate.

Regarding PrimoCache Defer-Write, please note that so far it still has the risk of data loss on power outage, system crash/hang, even you only use the SSD caching.
Jaga wrote:I'm not certain what Romex did to get around issues with the RST driver/software when I reported a fatal bug many years back - perhaps Support can chime in on it.
I remember this bug has already been fixed, though I cannot recall which version fixed it.
includao
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Re: Can PrimoCache rival the Intel Optane System Acceleration ?

Post by includao »

support wrote: Sun Mar 25, 2018 12:52 pm If you only use the L2 cache (no ram cache), the cache performance shall generally close to the Optane Memory native performance, and in some cases, it even exceeds the Optane Memory itself. We published an article about acceleration experience of using optane memory 16GB as a cache for a HDD or a sata SSD. We also measured its read/write speed. Please see
viewtopic.php?f=33&t=4532

@support, I can't access/see the thread you just mentioned about using optane memory as a L2 cache :( I want to see the benchmarks because I'm planing to use a 16gb optane memory has a L2 cache in PrimoCache instead of Intel's native solution.
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Re: Can PrimoCache rival the Intel Optane System Acceleration ?

Post by Support »

@includao, we have unlocked the thread now. You may check it again.
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Re: Can PrimoCache rival the Intel Optane System Acceleration ?

Post by includao »

support wrote: Mon Jun 03, 2019 12:40 pm @includao, we have unlocked the thread now. You may check it again.
Thanks. I guess I will be using PrimoCache's solution instead of Intel's native one.
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Re: Can PrimoCache rival the Intel Optane System Acceleration ?

Post by Logic »

Unless I am very much mistaken you will find the solution to using an Optane Drive with Win 7 here:
https://www.win-raid.com/

They have modded bioses and drivers for booting older hardware with NVME drives etc-etc and I have never had an issue with their software IF their instructions are carefully followed.

If you do not find the required fix; request it on the site. There are some very clever and enthusiastic devs there.

You might also look up the fastest driver for your system there:
https://www.win-raid.com/t29f25-Recomme ... ivers.html
Unless you are a prolific content/file creator, I find the driver with the fastest random 4K reads to be best:
NB: Random 4K speed and low latency is the most important metric for a snappy system for the average user.


I understand your dislike of the new 'Windows Adware & Spyware' aka: 'Win 10' completely:

Options:

1: Windows10Debloater
https://github.com/Sycnex/Windows10Debloater
along with
Spybot Anti-Beacon. There a free version if you dig.
NB: Debloater will need to be rerun after most Win updates, but not a biggy once you're used to it.

2: Windows 10 AME (Ameliorated)
https://ameliorated.info/index.html
NB That you can never be sure that this has no malware or Mitre attack type BS built in, so:

3: 'Roll your own' Windows 10 AME:
https://ameliorated.info/documentation.html
You should be able to use the latest version of windows which has much improved process scheduling (mostly for AMD Ryzen) etc.
While you at it, you may want to make Readyboost persistent through reboots as you're into caching?
Readyboost would put your Optane drive into RAID 0: read / RAID 1: write with your slower drive, but with a filter for the random 4k that Optane excels at... (Win 10's Superfetch controlled...)
I will be notified if you reply/are interested, as this takes some windows modification (Registry etc) to get working.
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