Getting started to PrimoCache on Windows Server 2022

FAQ, getting help, user experience about PrimoCache
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hernaninf
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Getting started to PrimoCache on Windows Server 2022

Post by hernaninf »

Greetings,

I installed PrimoCache on a domestic server with the configuration below:
Processor: AMD Ryzen 9-5900XT
RAM: 128GB
System disk: 512GB Patriot P300 m.2 NVMe
Userprofile disks: 2x 4TB WD RED in RAID1
Cache disk: 1TB Corsair MP600 Elite

In this server userprofile folder and database folder was set to be stored in HDD. There are about 30 users accessing it by RDS, using desktop apps like Excel, Outlook, browsing and the database. For security purposes I didn't activate defer-write on set-up, but I am willing to have a secure way to do it!
I am thinking in some options to have full caching solution for the HDDs, for there are some critical files I can't risk to lose or corrupt:

1. I wonder if is it reacheable to make file-level rules to defer-write cache, so I can exclude database from the defer-write OR...
2. I've read some starting points about CLI and I wonder if is there some scripts to program full caching control. I was thinking about doing caching periods and during lunch time of most of employees PrimoCache flushes cache to the disk, then starts again until the end of business, when it flushes again and restarts.

Do that makes sense? Can you guys give some tips?

Thanks in advance.

Hernani
tverweij
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Re: Getting started to PrimoCache on Windows Server 2022

Post by tverweij »

1. Yes, when you install it on a separate volume
2. Never use a deferred write delay higher than 1 second on business machines, so scripts for that are not needed.
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Support
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Re: Getting started to PrimoCache on Windows Server 2022

Post by Support »

hernaninf wrote: Mon Apr 14, 2025 12:29 pm 1. I wonder if is it reacheable to make file-level rules to defer-write cache, so I can exclude database from the defer-write OR...
Currently, this feature is not available. However, if feasible, you could separate the user profile folder and database folder into two distinct volumes. This would allow you to cache only the volume containing the user profile folder while leaving the database volume uncached.
hernaninf
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Re: Getting started to PrimoCache on Windows Server 2022

Post by hernaninf »

Support wrote: Thu Apr 17, 2025 10:46 am
hernaninf wrote: Mon Apr 14, 2025 12:29 pm 1. I wonder if is it reacheable to make file-level rules to defer-write cache, so I can exclude database from the defer-write OR...
Currently, this feature is not available. However, if feasible, you could separate the user profile folder and database folder into two distinct volumes. This would allow you to cache only the volume containing the user profile folder while leaving the database volume uncached.
tverweij wrote: Tue Apr 15, 2025 12:06 pm 1. Yes, when you install it on a separate volume
2. Never use a deferred write delay higher than 1 second on business machines, so scripts for that are not needed.
You mean I could split HDD in two partitions and cache only userprofile's one OR having another disk for it? I didn't find any references to cache partitions (and it does not appear to be a problem) but that's possible for me to do.
TomB
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Re: Getting started to PrimoCache on Windows Server 2022

Post by TomB »

I think you could partition the RAID 1 HDDs into 2 separate volumes, one volume for userprofiles and the other volume only for the database.
Then create 2 separate cache tasks, one cache task for each of the two volumes.
In the cache task for the userprofile volume, enable caching AND defer-write.
In the cache task for the database volume, don't enable defer-write. Just enable read-caching. Or perhaps very short defer-write.
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Re: Getting started to PrimoCache on Windows Server 2022

Post by Support »

hernaninf wrote: Thu Apr 17, 2025 3:52 pm You mean I could split HDD in two partitions and cache only userprofile's one OR having another disk for it? I didn't find any references to cache partitions (and it does not appear to be a problem) but that's possible for me to do.
Yes, split HDD in two partitions.
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