This script enables the ability to suspend and resume the read cache population operations for a particular VM as needed. This is most common during Oracle RMAN backups or other backup and copy operations to a VMDK that is attached to the VM being accelerated. This allows large sequential reads to not be cached into flash which typically evicts otherwise hot VM data and can affect VM performance after backup operations.
This script only works for suspending and resuming read cache population for one VM.
- Implement read, write, or read/write capabilities
- Enable selection or listing of multiple VMs to use
The following must be installed on a VM in the management cluster or the PernixData management server (where it is installed by default):
- PernixData PowerShell cmdlets
- Download zip file or clone this repository then extract it to a directory such as C:\FVP
- Open a PowerShell command prompt and change directory to the directory you chose (C:\FVP) on the server and execute: Read-Host -AsSecureString -prompt "Enter password" | ConvertFrom-SecureString | Out-File fvp_enc_pass.txt
- Enter the password for the service account or the password of the username that is being used for FVP management server.
- Edit PrnxReadPopulation.ps1 to include the username and IP address/FQDN used for the PernixData management server.
- Temporary files will be stored in c:\temp. Change this if necessary.
- Create a new Windows task and schedule it to run at the appropriate time (before an after backup or other sequential IO).
- For pre-backup operations, the command that will be run is C:\windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -Command C:<FOLDER_WHERE_YOU_STORED_SCRIPT>\PrnxReadPopulation.ps1 -VMName 'VM Name Here' -Mode ReadsOff
- For post-backup operations, the command that will be run is C:\windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -Command C:<FOLDER_WHERE_YOU_STORED_SCRIPT>\PrnxReadPopulation.ps1 -VMName 'VM Name Here' -Mode ReadsOn