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Data deduplication on Windows Server 2022

Double Trouble

Article from ADMIN 83/2024

By Thomas Joos

Data deduplication tools boost efficiency in storage management by improving storage utilization and saving network bandwidth during backup and replication processes.

Files are often stored multiple times, unnecessarily hogging storage space on data carriers and in backups; therefore, data deduplication is particularly useful for file servers. Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) environments also benefit from this technology, for which data deduplication even offers separate options that I also cover in this article. The technology can use both physical data carriers and virtual disks, which means that deduplication can be used effectively in virtual environments.

Once the feature has been installed, the connected hard drives are checked according to a schedule, and the deduplication rate is displayed in the Server Manager console. In this way, you can keep an eye on the success and utility value of deduplication for individual disks. Because you are not forced to deduplicate every single data carrier on a server, you can flexibly control which data carriers are worth the overhead. If you discover that deduplication does not deliver meaningful results for individual data carriers, you can remove them from the configuration at any time. Starting with Windows Server 2019, deduplication not only supports NTFS, but also the Protogon resilient filesystem (ReFS), and therefore very large data carriers, as well.

All told, data deduplication on Windows Server 2022 is a powerful way to optimize storage capacities and reduce costs. However, you need to find a balance between the benefits and the potential challenges to ensure smooth and efficient system management. In this article, I shed light on the technical background of deduplication and show you how to set up and manage data deduplication in a graphical interface, with PowerShell, and from the command line on Windows Server 2022.

The Downside

Of course, you also need to consider the potential downsides of data deduplication because it is not useful in all environments. Database servers, Exchange,

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