Upgrade Starwind 6 to latest version

[samlouis55]

Greetings,

I am currently using Starwind version 6.0.5713 with no HA and it is very stable. Can i upgrade this version to the latest version 8? I will still using it as only 1 node. Do you recommend that i do a fresh install with using the current img file or upgrade it?

Could you please describe the advantages/performance using the latest version?

Regards.

[Vladislav (Staff)]

Hi,

First of all I'd like you to follow StarWind release notes here https://www.starwindsoftware.com/release-notes-build and here https://forums.starwindsoftware.com/vie ... f=5&t=2069

In you case, it might be a performance improvement, but nevertheless it requires testing. For example, we increase IOs limit per one LUN from 60.000 to 100.000+, but if your IOs hit is less than 60.000, then IOs limit enhancement does not affect your environment performance.

Version 6 has a lot of issues fixed in the latest v8 release, but it looks like you have never encountered them, but v8 might have some issue you will encounter. Therefore, a final decision is up to you.

You can safely upgrade your StarWind. It is not necessary to reinstall it from scratch. Please follow: https://knowledgebase.starwindsoftware. ... d-version/

[kspare]

If it ain't broke don't try and fix it.

Read the forums over, V8 is a complete disaster.

LSFS still doesn't work properly, L2 Caching has not been disabled in current builds.

If you want higher performance there are better ways to go.

I went with freenas and have been able to build a couple boxes with performance I was never able to see on my starwind software.

But like I said, if it's working and stable like you say, leave it alone.

[bubu]

I do not agree, that v8 so bad you say kspare. StarWind flat images are stable enough and now they are faster comparison to v6.

LSFS: ok, it has issues, but in most cases all negative feedbacks are caused by misunderstanding that LSFS is not a THIN drive. Yeah yeah, I know, thin is mentioned in StarWind GUI, but it is still a log structured file system, not a thin drive, and LSFS grows and the growth is normal from the LSFS definition.

L2: It's an optional feature which we can do without.

Back to the initial question I can say that StarWind thick images have always been stable and v8 is not an exception

[samlouis55]

Thank for the reply.

I must admit that i encounter some issues using the version 8 in lab. Please see my post: https://forums.starwindsoftware.com/vie ... f=5&t=4306

I am doing some personal vmware training lessons to a friend and I was using again starwind v8 as virtual san. I had the same issue. Even in a single node with flat image, I got a vcenter error message and had to rescan the datastore. Maybe it is because i am using ESXi 6.

Anyway, I am using v6 with a HP DL320 G6 server w 4 x 2TB SATA 7k drivers. I am not hitting 60k IOPs limit. One the biggest improvement I may see is to benefit hardware acceleration as my v6 datastore not support hardware acceleration.

[Oles (staff)]

Hello!

Please let me know if you have any questions left, thank you.

[kspare]

So if he's stable, why upgrade? You can't use L2 Cache, and you can't use LSFS, so whats the benefit? There are NO performance increases what so ever.

[Oles (staff)]

Hello!

L2 cache is stable now.

As for the LSFS, we are still working on it and unfortunately we have no ETA.
Although using L2 cache will provide you with a performance boost.