[2019-12-31] PrimoCache 3.2.0 and 4.0.0 alpha released!

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Jaga
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Re: [2019-12-31] PrimoCache 3.2.0 and 4.0.0 alpha released!

Post by Jaga »

Axel Mertes wrote: Fri Feb 14, 2020 12:52 pmwhat is the biggest supported L2 cache size in 4.x?
We had that 2 TByte limit in the past, and now I see plenty of excessively large U.2 SSDs pop up on ebay, which would do perfectly for large scale L2 caches for very large RAID volumes. Many of those U.2 SSDs are 7.68 TByte in size, so it would be really nice, if we can utilize them in full as L2 cache for e.g. a 256 TByte volume.
I don't really have an answer Axel, but if Support indicates it is still 2TB, there are workarounds. Multiple cache tasks each can utilize their own L2 target volume, so one of the larger drives you are mentioning could be used across multiple volumes and share L2 duty for them all.

In the last year or so I've discovered a lot more usefulness in using multiple cache tasks, and don't truly mind the 2TB limitation as much as I used to. Just wanted to offer that up as a possible workaround.
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Re: [2019-12-31] PrimoCache 3.2.0 and 4.0.0 alpha released!

Post by Support »

Axel, sorry, it is still 2044GB in one cache task.
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Re: [2019-12-31] PrimoCache 3.2.0 and 4.0.0 alpha released!

Post by Axel Mertes »

OK, then an option might be to run a set of hardware RAIDs on the lower level and stripe these on a higher level, allowing an individual SSD cache per lower level RAID set?

Lets say I have 4 * RAID6 sets with 8 * 8 TByte drives each, resulting in 4 individual volumes with ~48 TByte net size each (6 * 8 TByte net size + 2 * 8 TByte parity).
Then I assign a 2 TByte SSD cache to each of these 4 * RAID6 sets, resulting in 4 * 2 = 8 TByte total SSD cache.
I create a software stripe volume over the 4 RAID6 sets and will have a 192 TByte volume with 8 TByte SSD cache.

Do think this cascade will work?

Might I use a single 7.68 TByte U.2 SSD for this purpose and make it 4 partitions, each around 2 TByte in size?
These server models sell like 700 US$ right now on ebay. The required U.2 adapter (either a NVME to U.2 cable to PCIE to U.2 adapter) sell for like 30 US$.

Thanks for any insights.

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Re: [2019-12-31] PrimoCache 3.2.0 and 4.0.0 alpha released!

Post by Support »

Yes, this shall work.
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Re: [2019-12-31] PrimoCache 3.2.0 and 4.0.0 alpha released!

Post by Logic »

Feature Requests:
(assuming you want a better, faster product than the competition!?) :)

1:
A 3rd non volatile caching tier:
Cache HDD to SATA SSD to NVME or Optane SSD.

2:
Filtering by size and random/sequential:
Optane is fast at low que depth (QD1) random ~4K, but slower than a MP600 say at large sequential.
So cache the large sequential on MP600 and random 4K on Optane and read/write them simultaneously for an extra boost!

3:
Simultaneous reads/writes to take advantage of drive type strengths:
If loading a game; start reading large sequential to small from the HDD (thats good at that)
and simultaneously
Small random to large from from the SSD and/or Optane Drive
and have the reads meat in the middle, or wherever they meet...

NB
that the eBoostr guys are able to do most of what I suggest above..! Talk to them!

4: Except for your deferred write RAM cache,
you cannot compete with the speed and 'intelligence' of Windows' Prefetch and Superfetch.
All you are persisting to do is BS the idiots you don't realise they're looking at RAM speed in the Disk benching software... and that said RAM speed is MUCH slower, with less cache hits, than what Pre/Superfetch get.
So stop! You just insulting the intelligence of most users nowadays with this outdated trick that lowers the respect and ups the distrust of influential reviewers and sys admins etc!

Instead:
Make Pre/superfetch controllable/settable as windblows sometime thinks switching them off for SSDs is a good idea.
Use the data they use in the prefetch etc folders to better cache hits in the L2/3 caches too..!
Hell you might even be able to set/control their retardedly set Readyboost app to do #2 and 3 above...


4:
Add an updated version of MyDefrag (15% faster than Windows' Defrag and anything else) to the package as a means of optimising the last level of the stack to further get optimal perf from PrimoCache...
Here also, you may learn a lot about using data in the prefetch etc folder/s effectively.

5:
Running Primocache (or its files) through https://hybrid-analysis.com/
and
https://any.run
etc
makes for some very ...'interesting' reading!!!
Why..!? Thats... really not necessary!??
Rather use that skill for the above '4: Instead' and charge more.
idefix44
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Re: [2019-12-31] PrimoCache 3.2.0 and 4.0.0 alpha released!

Post by idefix44 »

About the PrimoCache 4.0.0a version.

Can we get informations about the PrimoCache Desktop Edition 4.0.0a?
Is it reliable?
Do you get some feedbacks from XP testers?
Which known bugs if exist?

Thanks.
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Re: [2019-12-31] PrimoCache 3.2.0 and 4.0.0 alpha released!

Post by Support »

@Logic, Thank you very much for your suggests and feature requests! We will consider them. Some features are not easy to be implemented as expected, but we will try our best to make the caching more efficient and useful.

@idefix44, so far so good. However, I'm sorry that we don't know how many testers use the XP system.
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Re: [2019-12-31] PrimoCache 3.2.0 and 4.0.0 alpha released!

Post by idefix44 »

I'm testing 4.0.0 since april 2020, the 5th (04/05/20).
OS: XP Home SP3 up to date.
I'll let you know if things go wrong.

Thanks.
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Re: [2019-12-31] PrimoCache 3.2.0 and 4.0.0 alpha released!

Post by Support »

Thank you, idefix44.
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Re: [2019-12-31] PrimoCache 3.2.0 and 4.0.0 alpha released!

Post by editor0range »

Hi I like the idea of storage tiering like StoreMi does it. But I was a bit sceptical about that tools future after AMD was pulling it from their servers and will be back soon with "something else"...

So I downloaded PrimoCache 3.2 and also the 4.0 alpha cause I like the idea of that "L1toL2 flush" feature. But is there a way to go even further and let the L1 and L2 cache fill at the same time when I download a game over steam for example? So after the download I can fire it up with RAM speed - if it fits my L1 cache :D - and after rebooting I still got SSD speed until it´s cached by L1 again?

Thanks for your feedback!
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