FreeFileSync and CPU/HDD/Network usage

Discuss new features and functions
Posts: 2
Joined: 16 Mar 2015

hi8g65f

Hello. When I press the button Synchronize/mirror FreeFileSync starts seeking my HDD for changes and compares the files with those in my NAS. During this operation I noticed the following:

CPU usage is approximately 5% [i7 4710MQ]
HDD usage is approximately 5% [Samsung 850pro SDD]
Wireless network usage is approximately 1Mbps down / 1Mbps Up [802.11n with max 50Mbps when FreeFileSync is actually uploading files to NAS]
NAS is a WD Live 1TB with an old fashion 3,5” HDD inside.

I would like to know why FreeFileSync is not taking advance of my hardware resources more effectively in order to complete the comparing operation faster. I can only think as a bottleneck the NAS but is it really?
Posts: 73
Joined: 13 Nov 2003

wm-sf

My guess is your desire is at odds with most people. How long is the compare taking in human time?
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Posts: 2451
Joined: 22 Aug 2012

Plerry

During comparison many small pieces of data (file-name and -date)
are being exchanged.
This requires a lot of handshaking (="overhead"), but does not involve
the exchange of a high data volume. Hence the low data-rate.
Once the real sync starts and would involve predominantly large files,
you should expect to see data-rates increase substantially.
Posts: 2
Joined: 16 Mar 2015

hi8g65f

During comparison many small pieces of data (file-name and -date)
are being exchanged.
This requires a lot of handshaking (="overhead"), but does not involve
the exchange of a high data volume. Hence the low data-rate.
Once the real sync starts and would involve predominantly large files,
you should expect to see data-rates increase substantially.plerry
Plerry, you are ABSOLUTELY right. I can confirm this by observing the time the compare operation takes when it comes to little files (eg my joomla’s backup folder). When you have to deal with a lot of small files you have to wait regardless the size of them! It reminds me the FTP transferring procedure..

@WM : Comparing procedure takes about ten minutes for 150K files. It is not that tragic but someone would expect something faster using such modern hardware.
Posts: 73
Joined: 13 Nov 2003

wm-sf

BTW, if your comparison setting is "File time and size" then the number of files rather than the size of the files is what will affect the compare time most, traversing paths, etc may take a bit of unclear resources.