ibvd files cannot be removed automatically

[linkplus]

I am running StarWind free version (V5.8.1889) on Windows 2008 R2. I created a Snapsot and CDP volume with following Device Properties

Device: IBV1
Virtual Disk: My Computer\D\StarWind\Target1\Target1.ibv
Persistent Reservation: Yes
Asynchronous Mode: Yes
Operation Mode: Snapshot and CDP
Snapshot Creation Period: 240
Maximum Number of Stored Sessions: 24
Size: 1.96TB
Last Session ID: 139
Current State: Normal

I setup the Maximum Number of Stored Session to 24 but I see all the .ibvd files starting from first file "Target1_00000001.ibvd" to current file "Target1_0000008a.ibvd" in the folder.

My Windows disc volume size is 3.54TB. But all the ibvd file used nearly 3TB now. The server is nearly run out of HDD space.

I have another testing machine running StartWind free version 5.7 with the same IBV volume setting. It run smoothly without this issue. The old ibvd files can be removed automatically.

What should I do to fix the problem?

Thanks

[@ziz (staff)]

Actually there is nothing wrong in your situation, the reason why the total sum of your ibvd files is so great can be only one: there have been a big changes performed between some (or all) snapshots.
You have two options to solve the issue with the HDD space lack:
1- Add additional HDD.
2- Create a Full Clone based on your last snapshot status then delete the old device. This (the full clone) can be performed on a different storage.

I am running StarWind free version (V5.8.1889) on Windows 2008 R2. I created a Snapsot and CDP volume with following Device Properties

Device: IBV1
Virtual Disk: My Computer\D\StarWind\Target1\Target1.ibv
Persistent Reservation: Yes
Asynchronous Mode: Yes
Operation Mode: Snapshot and CDP
Snapshot Creation Period: 240
Maximum Number of Stored Sessions: 24
Size: 1.96TB
Last Session ID: 139
Current State: Normal

I setup the Maximum Number of Stored Session to 24 but I see all the .ibvd files starting from first file "Target1_00000001.ibvd" to current file "Target1_0000008a.ibvd" in the folder.

My Windows disc volume size is 3.54TB. But all the ibvd file used nearly 3TB now. The server is nearly run out of HDD space.

I have another testing machine running StartWind free version 5.7 with the same IBV volume setting. It run smoothly without this issue. The old ibvd files can be removed automatically.

What should I do to fix the problem?

Thanks

[linkplus]

Thanks for your quick response. I am new to the StarWind iSCSI. Since I am testing the product and I need to get more technical information.

According to my understanding, the snapshot and CDP should work as below:

- Assume I keep 1 snapshot only and each snapshot time is 1440 minutes
- In day 1, xxx001.ibvd file created. All the data added to iSCSI target will be stored in this .ibvd
- In day 2, xxx002.ibvd file will be created. All the data in day 2 will be stored in this .ibvd. The total iSCSI tager volume = xxx001.ibvd + xxx002.ibvd.
- In day 3, xxx003.ibvd file will be created. All the data in xxx001.ibvd will be copied to xxx003.ibvd and this .ibvd will store all the new data in day 3.
- At this time, xxx003.ibvd + xxx002.ibvd store all the iSCSI target volume. If I rollback the iSCSI target to day 2 by mounting the previous day snapshot, StarWind will use the data stored xxx002.ibvd and xxx001.ibvd.
- In day 4, xxx004.ibvd file will be created. All the data in xxx002.ibvd will be copied to xxx004.ibvd and this .ibvd will store all the new data in day 4. And, the xxx001.ibvd will be removed.
- At this time, xxx004.ibvd + xxx003.ibvd store all the iSCSI trget volume. If I rollback the iSCSI target to day 3 by mounting the previous day snapshot, StarWind will use the data stored in xxx003.ibvd and xxx002.ibvd.

According to my understand, the old .ibvd file should be removed automatically. The number .ibvd file will be kept = "Maximum number of stored (snapshot) session" x 2. That means If I set the "maximum number of stored session" to 24, there should be 48 .ibvd files stored in the disk.

Is it correct? Or anything that I get wrong?

[@ziz (staff)]

No, not really right, in your description you assume that ibvd are being merged:
data in xxx001.ibvd will be copied to xxx003.ibvd, data in xxx002.ibvd will be copied to xxx004.ibvd, and so on...
Actually this not how in works, in your case (Assume I keep 1 snapshot only and each snapshot time is 1440 minutes) each day a new snapshot is created and and a new .ibvd file is created, old one will not be merged with any other one.

Thanks for your quick response. I am new to the StarWind iSCSI. Since I am testing the product and I need to get more technical information.

According to my understanding, the snapshot and CDP should work as below:

- Assume I keep 1 snapshot only and each snapshot time is 1440 minutes
- In day 1, xxx001.ibvd file created. All the data added to iSCSI target will be stored in this .ibvd
- In day 2, xxx002.ibvd file will be created. All the data in day 2 will be stored in this .ibvd. The total iSCSI tager volume = xxx001.ibvd + xxx002.ibvd.
- In day 3, xxx003.ibvd file will be created. All the data in xxx001.ibvd will be copied to xxx003.ibvd and this .ibvd will store all the new data in day 3.
- At this time, xxx003.ibvd + xxx002.ibvd store all the iSCSI target volume. If I rollback the iSCSI target to day 2 by mounting the previous day snapshot, StarWind will use the data stored xxx002.ibvd and xxx001.ibvd.
- In day 4, xxx004.ibvd file will be created. All the data in xxx002.ibvd will be copied to xxx004.ibvd and this .ibvd will store all the new data in day 4. And, the xxx001.ibvd will be removed.
- At this time, xxx004.ibvd + xxx003.ibvd store all the iSCSI trget volume. If I rollback the iSCSI target to day 3 by mounting the previous day snapshot, StarWind will use the data stored in xxx003.ibvd and xxx002.ibvd.

According to my understand, the old .ibvd file should be removed automatically. The number .ibvd file will be kept = "Maximum number of stored (snapshot) session" x 2. That means If I set the "maximum number of stored session" to 24, there should be 48 .ibvd files stored in the disk.

Is it correct? Or anything that I get wrong?