Network Drive Support

Suggestions around PrimoCache
csm10495
Level 1
Level 1
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Nov 21, 2019 4:15 am

Network Drive Support

Post by csm10495 »

Is there a possibility for some sort of network drive support? If not, is there a technical reason it is not supported? ... Does it have to do with the possibility of another system modifying the contents of the network share?
User avatar
Support
Support Team
Support Team
Posts: 3623
Joined: Sun Dec 21, 2008 2:42 am

Re: Network Drive Support

Post by Support »

Principles in network drives are completely different that in local drives. They are two things. So far PrimoCache can only support local drives.
cichy45
Level 4
Level 4
Posts: 38
Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2018 3:34 pm

Re: Network Drive Support

Post by cichy45 »

You can install PrimoCache on PC where you have your shared disks. I have my network drive accelerated with primocache this way. PrimoCache is installed simply not on remote client, but on "server" (normal PC in my case).

As long as it is a windows machine obviously.
horizon
Level 5
Level 5
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Jun 03, 2009 9:05 am

Re: Network Drive Support

Post by horizon »

Sorry for stepping in but can you elaborate on your use case?

A few comments in the meantime:
  • On the client machine (while accessing fileshares): You might be interested in Windows Transparrent cache feature, which relies on Client Side Cache (CSC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2UAMj28j7w
  • On the client machine (while accessing fileshares): You might want to prefill CSC using Offline Files feature and use them in Online Mode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3MrGRgcXzk
  • On the client machine (while accessing fileshares): In corporate environments, you might want to leverage CSC also by using Branchcache feature: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgDN2c6FaaU
  • Of course, if you store CSC on Primocache-accelerated volume, it helps a little bit.
  • Of course, if the data needs to be fetched over the network and they are stored on server on Primocache-accelerated volume, it might help a bit as well.
  • Be aware that there are plenty of limitations, with no (easy) solution. (e.g. CSC does accelerate writes, if you (with offline files) end up in offline mode, you might also end up with the need to solve synchronization conflicts.)
Another product dealing with caching while accessing network reads (not only to UNC but also to Azure blobs) is CloudCache feature of FSLogix product. It's however a very special case as it's dealing with user profile redirection and assumes an exclusive access by the single user. Good discussion on CC is here. https://youtu.be/qDnzEIWuric?t=1288
Probably nothing that could help you but it would be nice in the future some FSLogix features/concepts available in PrimoCache. For example: Accelerating and improving resiliency of VHD file access. :)
GoldenSun3DS
Level 3
Level 3
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2022 9:52 pm

Re: Network Drive Support

Post by GoldenSun3DS »

Support wrote: Fri Nov 22, 2019 4:57 am Principles in network drives are completely different that in local drives. They are two things. So far PrimoCache can only support local drives.
Can you elaborate on why this isn't allowed? Is it a technical limitation, or is it an arbitrary decision to block it because you think it might not be a good experience using a network drive as a hard drive? If it's the latter, isn't that the user's choice to make?

I was testing an idea of installing Steam games to a Google Drive and using an SSD to cache the Google Drive, but Primocache won't let you cache network drives. The reason I want to try is because of cloud PCs having limited or expensive storage space, but cloud storage like Google Drive is relatively cheap.

With cloud PCs like ShadowPC having very fast download speeds (1000mbps download and 100mbps upload in the case of ShadowPC) and deferred writes as an option, it might be viable to use Google Drive to store Steam games. The most used files would be cached, and the less often used files would be fine to go at lower speeds. At least that's my theory, but I can't test it out because Primocache won't let me cache network drives.
User avatar
Support
Support Team
Support Team
Posts: 3623
Joined: Sun Dec 21, 2008 2:42 am

Re: Network Drive Support

Post by Support »

GoldenSun3DS wrote: Mon Mar 14, 2022 1:03 am Can you elaborate on why this isn't allowed? Is it a technical limitation, or is it an arbitrary decision to block it because you think it might not be a good experience using a network drive as a hard drive? If it's the latter, isn't that the user's choice to make?
It's a technical limitation. PrimoCache is built based on local drives and it is not able to intercept read/write requests on network mapped drives.
GoldenSun3DS
Level 3
Level 3
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2022 9:52 pm

Re: Network Drive Support

Post by GoldenSun3DS »

Support wrote: Tue Mar 15, 2022 3:38 am
GoldenSun3DS wrote: Mon Mar 14, 2022 1:03 am Can you elaborate on why this isn't allowed? Is it a technical limitation, or is it an arbitrary decision to block it because you think it might not be a good experience using a network drive as a hard drive? If it's the latter, isn't that the user's choice to make?
It's a technical limitation. PrimoCache is built based on local drives and it is not able to intercept read/write requests on network mapped drives.
Would it be difficult to program it to be capable of intercepting network drive read/writes?
User avatar
Support
Support Team
Support Team
Posts: 3623
Joined: Sun Dec 21, 2008 2:42 am

Re: Network Drive Support

Post by Support »

Yes, Windows has completely different process path on local drives and network mapped drives. As I said before, principles between them are different. To support network drives, we have to develop new kernel drivers for them, which is almost same workload for supporting local drives.
vlbastos
Level 4
Level 4
Posts: 21
Joined: Sat Jul 16, 2022 10:32 pm

Re: Network Drive Support

Post by vlbastos »

horizon wrote: Fri Nov 22, 2019 10:18 am Sorry for stepping in but can you elaborate on your use case?

A few comments in the meantime:
  • On the client machine (while accessing fileshares): You might be interested in Windows Transparrent cache feature, which relies on Client Side Cache (CSC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2UAMj28j7w
  • On the client machine (while accessing fileshares): You might want to prefill CSC using Offline Files feature and use them in Online Mode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3MrGRgcXzk
  • On the client machine (while accessing fileshares): In corporate environments, you might want to leverage CSC also by using Branchcache feature: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgDN2c6FaaU
  • Of course, if you store CSC on Primocache-accelerated volume, it helps a little bit.
  • Of course, if the data needs to be fetched over the network and they are stored on server on Primocache-accelerated volume, it might help a bit as well.
  • Be aware that there are plenty of limitations, with no (easy) solution. (e.g. CSC does accelerate writes, if you (with offline files) end up in offline mode, you might also end up with the need to solve synchronization conflicts.)
Another product dealing with caching while accessing network reads (not only to UNC but also to Azure blobs) is CloudCache feature of FSLogix product. It's however a very special case as it's dealing with user profile redirection and assumes an exclusive access by the single user. Good discussion on CC is here. https://youtu.be/qDnzEIWuric?t=1288
Probably nothing that could help you but it would be nice in the future some FSLogix features/concepts available in PrimoCache. For example: Accelerating and improving resiliency of VHD file access. :)
Old post I know, but I'm really interested into getting Windows Offline Files working in Windows 11 Home. I already installed the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) and configured a few settings in "Computer\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files", but it didn't work. Before that, I tried registering cscsvc.dll (got it from the Windows 11 Professional iso from Microsoft), but Windows didn't accept it.
Any info on the possibility of turning offline files on in Windows Home? I have it turned on in my work's PC, but that PC is connected to a Windows Server, which probably enabled it to work in a Home version.

Edit: just checked work's PC, its a Windows 10 Enterprise, not Home. :roll:
Last edited by vlbastos on Thu Jul 21, 2022 4:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Support
Support Team
Support Team
Posts: 3623
Joined: Sun Dec 21, 2008 2:42 am

Re: Network Drive Support

Post by Support »

The link below is just for your information. I'm not sure if it works in Windows home.
https://superuser.com/questions/1317894 ... ing-to-pro
Post Reply