Cache Databases do not appear to be updating

[dfinlayson]

Hi,
I'm running the Mac version 5.61 build 289 on my Mac server, which runs on 10.6.8
and the ExtremeSync Remote Service App 5.55

Objective:
Exact Mirror LtoR: To maintain a complete copy of the Mac server that SFFS is running on and to monitor changes in real-time and push any changes to a Raid 5 duplicate drive hosted on another Mac server which is on the LAN over Gigabit Ethernet.

Settings:
Remote Service App 5.55: I have added the local folders to the Remote Service Control Panel in the "Configure Checksummer And Remote Lister" window.
eg. /Volumes/P2000/Digital_Vol (which is a folder called Digital_Vol on the Mac server P2000 drive)
SFFS 5.61: In my profiles I have (listing the main points only):
Schedule: Monitoring / Real-Time Sync - Real Time Synchronization... CHECKED
Files: Deletions: Move Deleted Files Into A Specified Folder... CHECKED folder is resident on the RHS
Safety: Unattended Mode: Overwrite RO, Overwrite Large, Newer Files May be... All CHECKED
Exact Mirror Settings: Removal Of Deselected... All CHECKED and confirmed YES
Special: Cache Destination File List..., Use Cache Database For Source and Left side listing uses Remote All CHECKED
Versioning: Keep multiple, Only On Right-Hand Side, Move into "Older", Recreate tree below All CHECKED

Problem:
Although in the Profile Overview pane the Next Run says "Monitoring Folders" and it has finished building its list it doesn't keep a mirror. I can add to the left and it may be added to the Right. If I delete from the left it doesn't always get deleted on the right.
This issue happens more with the volumes that contain the most data. Is there a data/item number limit for the database files?
Creative_Vol = 1.4TB for 220,061 items
Digital_Vol = 240GB for 245,590 items
Artwork_Vol = 1.84TB for 123,579 items
Also, I can't find any cache of Database files anywhere, so I can't check if they're being modified.

Best regards,
Dave

[superflexible]

Hello,

the main problem is the checkmark "Use Cache Database For Source". This must be unchecked, or changes on the source side will not be seen. The cache is intended only for restoring from backup sets, if you want to avoid scanning the actual folders.

In addition, please remove the checkmark "Left side listing uses remote service". The remote service app is meant to be installed on the other server, not on the same server. It can help generating the listing for the right-hand (destination) side, not the left-hand one.

In addition to real-time, you need to schedule a full sync, for example once during the night. This will perform a full scan of source and destination folders, and the remote service app can help with that. If you use it to generate the file listing, it will be faster than the cache. So please remove the checkmark "Cache Destnation File List", too. Unless you are copying over really slow connections over the Internet, the cache is likely to slow the process down rather than speeding it up.

Please install the Remote Service App on the destination machine and have it watch the destination folder. Then you can choose "Right side listing uses remote service" in the main synchronizer program.

Also, in the profile, take another look at the Safety->Unattended settings. The top four checkmarks should be chosen and the last one should not be checked, because it will prevent deletions in many cases.

Finally, click the Configure button for Exact Mirror. In most cases, you should have only two checkmarks: the top one (Delete Files ...) and the middle one (Overwrite Newer Files).

The three checkmarks "Removal Of Deselected..." are rarely needed. I do not recommend them unless you know that you really need them. They are intended to remove items from the destination even though they still exist on the source side. I do not think that you want that.

[dfinlayson]

Thanks for the v.quick reply. Top support.

the main problem is the checkmark "Use Cache Database For Source". This must be unchecked, or changes on the source side will not be seen. The cache is intended only for restoring from backup sets, if you want to avoid scanning the actual folders.

Thanks, I've just changed it

In addition, please remove the checkmark "Left side listing uses remote service". The remote service app is meant to be installed on the other server, not on the same server. It can help generating the listing for the right-hand (destination) side, not the left-hand one.

Thanks, I've just changed it. Now SFFS on my main server is "Waiting for remote listings". Will it say this until Remote Service has completed its first full cache of ALL the files on the Backup Right hand side server?

In addition to real-time, you need to schedule a full sync, for example once during the night. This will perform a full scan of source and destination folders, and the remote service app can help with that. If you use it to generate the file listing, it will be faster than the cache. So please remove the checkmark "Cache Destnation File List", too. Unless you are copying over really slow connections over the Internet, the cache is likely to slow the process down rather than speeding it up.

Yep, that was in place already ": )

Please install the Remote Service App on the destination machine and have it watch the destination folder. Then you can choose "Right side listing uses remote service" in the main synchronizer program.

Thanks, it's now busy watching 6 big volumes. One question, how does it like the volume directories to be written? Can it handle "spaces" in directory names. Or does it like to presented like "Terminal" interpretes folder structure for eg "Volumes/Sync_Vol/Full\ Backup/Artwork_Vol (where the main drive is "Sync_Vol" and the Subfolder is "Full Backup"). Or should it be simply "Sync_Vol/Full Backup/Artwork_Vol"

Also, in the profile, take another look at the Safety->Unattended settings. The top four checkmarks should be chosen and the last one should not be checked, because it will prevent deletions in many cases.

Yep, I had that ": )

Finally, click the Configure button for Exact Mirror. In most cases, you should have only two checkmarks: the top one (Delete Files ...) and the middle one (Overwrite Newer Files).
Thanks, done.

Thanks again

[superflexible]

Now SFFS on my main server is "Waiting for remote listings". Will it say this until Remote Service has completed its first full cache of ALL the files on the Backup Right hand side server?

Normally yes. Except for extremely large listings, which are split up into parts. You should see the Remote Service App on the other machine doing something. It should say something like "Tasks Running: 1". If not, the Remote Service App has not picked up the request and the configuration needs to be checked.

It will do this only for full runs. After it has completed, it will switch to real-time operation, where only folders with changes are processed.

On the real-time dialog, you can choose whether a full sync should be done first, when the scheduler is started, or not.

One question, how does it like the volume directories to be written? Can it handle "spaces" in directory names?

Yes, the paths should look the same way they do in the main synchronizer GUI. Spaces are fine. The paths should point to the same folders which are specified as "base" folder in the sync jobs. Of course the paths may be a little different because it's on another machine, but it should be the same folders.

[dfinlayson]

Thanks very much for the Tutorial ": )
Everything is a lot more stable and consistant now.