Replication Strategies
Mass file replication increases load upon most of local area network components of the company. The key components within the risk zone are (i) hard disk with files to be copied and (ii) local network which is used to transfer files.
Replication of thousands of files may affect performance of operating system and launched applications: working may be slowered or may become less reliable. Hard disk loading is increasing many times because hard disk should both (i) interact with operating system and other applications and (ii) read data from files. These factors increase files access time, decrease system speed, deteriorate hard disk and may lead to system errors.
Local area network (LAN) is another key element of the replication. Mass replication may decrease LAN bandwidth. Access to data located on various computers becomes slower and other applications which access LAN data work with annoying delays. In critical circumstances LAN rebooting may lead to data loss.
The above problems may be solved with hardware upgrades: increasing of computer RAM, deployment of highly reliable HDD or SSD, using fast-speed switches. These upgrades can decrease, but not eliminate, the possibility of potential errors.
However, there is a low-cost alternative which decreases loads on computer hardware without hardware replacement. Remarkably, this alternative is a new approach to file replication strategy.
AnyFileBackup provides you with flexible tools for optimization of your backup and replication strategy. In the next paragraphs we will discuss two potential ways for optimization of file copying.
COPY ORDER
Generally all files are copied according to alphabetical order. To change this rule enable 'Smaller the first' option in the settings window of the Source. With this new copy order the smallest file will be copied first and the largest will be the last in the files copying queue.
There are several advantages of this method. Firstly, the quicker file is copied the earlier it will be available for users and applications in the Destination folder. Secondly, this saves HDD time for switching between files requested by various applications. Thirdly, small file transfers do not overload LAN.
MAXIMUM FILE TRANSFER SPEED
Another method of increasing LAN bandwidth is setting the maximum speed for file transfer over LAN.
Copying of small files is quick and does not affect LAN in any way. However, transfer of a large file may become an issue for LAN reliability. This is the main reason why transfer speed limitation may be necessary. It allows to divide LAN bandwidth between several LAN computers allowing other computers to send and receive files via LAN.
Copy order and Maximum speed options are also available for file transfers via FTP, SFTP and FTPS protocols.
