[2017-05-27] PrimoCache 3.0.0 Beta is available now!

First hand news related to PrimoCache
Post Reply
User avatar
Support
Support Team
Support Team
Posts: 3623
Joined: Sun Dec 21, 2008 2:42 am

[2017-05-27] PrimoCache 3.0.0 Beta is available now!

Post by Support »

We're glad that PrimoCache desktop edition 3.0.0 Beta is available for those who want to try and test the 3.0.0 version first! It has some new features with new designs and it also fixed some known bugs. As this is a beta version, we strongly recommend that you only run it on non-production machines and backup your important data and documents first before you try. We really appreciate your participation and kind support to us!

It can be downloaded by the following link.
http://www.romexsoftware.com/download/b ... .Setup.zip

Thank you!
idefix44
Level 8
Level 8
Posts: 137
Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2013 2:13 pm

Re: [2017-05-27] PrimoCache 3.0.0 Beta is available now!

Post by idefix44 »

support wrote:It has some new features with new designs and it also fixed some known bugs.
Can we learn more about those new features and fixed known bugs?

Thanks.
minhgi
Level 10
Level 10
Posts: 255
Joined: Tue May 17, 2011 3:52 pm

Re: [2017-05-27] PrimoCache 3.0.0 Beta is available now!

Post by minhgi »

quick setup
quick setup
2017-05-27_080139.png (228.09 KiB) Viewed 23878 times
thanks for the new beta and checked the new GUI changes. Seem new slider bars are available in different menus but unsure what exactly do they do.

Change log would be nice, as idefix44 mentioned, would be nice to explain the new feature.

Anyway, I am pretty happy that you have have released the beta over the weekend. Will be testing it.

Ok. Different really test anything, but I believe the slider bars in L1/L2 menus, you can set the portion of memory/storage for read/write caching strategy. I set my for 75% Read and 25% Write on both strategy

still to0 early in the morning!! =)
Daniel290881
Level 3
Level 3
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2016 4:42 pm

Re: [2017-05-27] PrimoCache 3.0.0 Beta is available now!

Post by Daniel290881 »

I would like to know what this here means and what it is
Unbenannt.PNG
Unbenannt.PNG (10.1 KiB) Viewed 23865 times
minhgi
Level 10
Level 10
Posts: 255
Joined: Tue May 17, 2011 3:52 pm

Re: [2017-05-27] PrimoCache 3.0.0 Beta is available now!

Post by minhgi »

So I did quick test of the L2 writeback and found the delay (defer time) interval affect directly with L2 storage. Test using 3DMark 1.6GB and update for 3.6GB. The first install 1.6GB went smoothly writing first to L1 and then after L2. The large update instead required an urgent write directly to the hard drive. Considering I only have 512MB for write cache, the defer write time is either too long for the strategy write to kick in or just too small of a cache.

So either I need shorter interval time or a bigger write buffer? I decided, for now to set L1, to 50/50 ratio and keep the deferred time at 10 sec. L2 at 75/25. I would love to have all urgent write goes to L2 since we can allocate such a large space to it. L2 seem to like holding all the cached data and only write back to the hard drive when the computer is idle, similar to the read cache mechanic.
User avatar
Support
Support Team
Support Team
Posts: 3623
Joined: Sun Dec 21, 2008 2:42 am

Re: [2017-05-27] PrimoCache 3.0.0 Beta is available now!

Post by Support »

I'm sorry that I didn't post the change log. Below are major changes.

New Features
1. Support write caching on L2,
2. Allow individual read and write cache space,
3. Allow to specify different cache configuration for each target volumes within a cache task,
4. Support to convert a L2 storage volume to a normal volume. Previously users have to go to Windows Disk Management to delete the partition and then create a new volume.

Changes/Optimizations
1. Remove the "Cache Strategy" setting when set up a cache task because now the Read/Write Cache Ratio implicitly indicates the cache strategy,
2. Optimize internal caching algorithm,
3. Reduce cache memory overhead,
4. Statistics: add Total Write (L1/L2), and rename Total Write (Done) to Total Write (Disk).

Bug Fixes
1. Possible hang or DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE BSOD on shutdown/restart when L2 is used, especially since v2.5,
2. Possible BSOD in XP/2003 when Invisible Memory is used,
3. Fix write amplification issue,
4. Fix L2 read amplification issue (statistics: L2Storage Read > Total Read),
5. Trial version causes Windows cannot successfully run the Chkdsk program on the system partition,
6. GUI program may not be responsive during operations that may take a long time, for eg. to enable Invisible Memory, remove a cache task, flush/stop defer-write,
7. GUI program cannot automatically minimize to the system tray at Window startup on some computers,
8. The program didn't check if L1/L2 cache size is less than the minimum allowed value when creating a cache task,
9. In the cache task creation wizard, Defer-Write Latency value may not be correctly loaded if you switch among different profiles,
10. In the L2Storage Management Dialog, partition list is not refreshed after a second L2Storage volume is created.
idefix44
Level 8
Level 8
Posts: 137
Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2013 2:13 pm

Re: [2017-05-27] PrimoCache 3.0.0 Beta is available now!

Post by idefix44 »

Thanks for posting 3.0.0 beta's New Features, Changes/Optimizations and Bug Fixes.

If I update my v2.7.3 running PrimoCache to the new v3.0.0 beta can I keep my running Cache Task and use the View/Edit the cache configuration Button or do I need to delete it and create a new cache task?
User avatar
Support
Support Team
Support Team
Posts: 3623
Joined: Sun Dec 21, 2008 2:42 am

Re: [2017-05-27] PrimoCache 3.0.0 Beta is available now!

Post by Support »

@minhgi, yes, you're right, the new added slide bars are to specify the Read/Write cache space ratio. You may move the mouse over its checkbox for several seconds to see the explanation. If the checkbox "Individual Read/Write Cache Space" is not checked, read and write operations share the entire cache space. Also this implicitly means the "Read/Write" cache strategy. If you check the checkbox and set the Read/Write ratio to 100/0, this means "Read-Only" strategy, and if the ratio is 0/100, means "Write-Only" strategy.

And regarding the L2 write caching, so far our goal is to reach the best write performance when defer-write is on. To reach this goal, PrimoCache always uses L1 as its first choice for writing buffer. When L1 is full of deferred data, PrimoCache will start to use L2. Please note that when L1 is full, the urgent flush will be triggered to write some deferred data to underlying disks, leading to some space for new incoming write-data. The advantage of this design is that it can fully utilize the disk write ability and get the best write performance. The shortage is that not all data is kept in the cache even you have a big L2 cache.
User avatar
Support
Support Team
Support Team
Posts: 3623
Joined: Sun Dec 21, 2008 2:42 am

Re: [2017-05-27] PrimoCache 3.0.0 Beta is available now!

Post by Support »

idefix44 wrote:If I update my v2.7.3 running PrimoCache to the new v3.0.0 beta can I keep my running Cache Task and use the View/Edit the cache configuration Button or do I need to delete it and create a new cache task?
You don't need to delete the existing cache tasks. They will be automatically updated to 3.0 format and keep compatible with 2.x versions.
User avatar
Support
Support Team
Support Team
Posts: 3623
Joined: Sun Dec 21, 2008 2:42 am

Re: [2017-05-27] PrimoCache 3.0.0 Beta is available now!

Post by Support »

Daniel290881 wrote:I would like to know what this here means and what it is
This is to specify individual cache configuration for each target volumes in a cache task if necessary. By default, all volumes in a cache task follow the task's cache setting. However, you can disable some features for a special volume. For eg, assume that you create a cache task for two volumes and you want one volume has defer-write on and the other one not, you can disable the defer-write feature for that volume.
Post Reply