Avoid or minimize performance-resources when copying large files from one Windows Server onto another different Windows Server?

Question

Hello, I have the following two Windows Server VMs:

• WindowsServer2019_Production
• WindowsServer2022_Archive

Both server names in my above examples are what they're serving as.

I have a PowerShell [CopyFiles.ps1] script file that resides and will run from my WindowsServer2022_Archive VM and will copy some large files from the other WindowsServer2019_Production VM onto this same WindowsServer2022_Archive VM.

I'm not too concerned of performance impacts on my WindowsServer2022_Archive VM since its not mission critical but am concerned of my WindowsServer2019_Production getting negatively affected (performance, resources, risks, concerns, etc...) since its live up and running.

My thought process is have my WindowsServer2022_Archive VM do all of the heavy lifting in running the [CopyFiles.ps1] script from this server and also place the files onto this server.

Will my other WindowsServer2019_Production VM still get affected even though all I'm doing is just trying to copy files off from that server like I described and if yes any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Hello,Choose the right replication tool:

Robocopy: This is a powerful command-line tool that supports features such as multi-threading, retry mechanism, recovery mode, and more, suitable for copying large files and large number of files.

Example commands:

robocopy \WindowsServer2019_Production\shared folder D:\destination folder /MIR /MINLATENCY /W:1 /R:1 /LOG+:copy_log.log

PowerShell uses Start-BitsTransfer: Uses PowerShell's BITS (Background Intelligent Transfer Service) for asynchronous transfers, which is suitable for tasks that need to run in the background.

Sample scripts:

Import-Module BitsTransfer

$source = "\WindowsServer2019_Production\shared folder\file name"

$destination = "D:\destination folder\folder"

Start-BitsTransfer -Source $source -Destination $destination -Description "File Copy" -Priority Low

To compress files before transferring, you can use built-in tools such as the Compress-Archive cmdlet.

Example:

$files = Get-ChildItem -Path "WindowsServer2019_ProductionShared Folder" -File

$files | Compress-Archive -DestinationPath "D:Destination Folderarchive.zip" -Force

Transfer the compressed file and then unzip it on the destination server.

Monitor resource usage:

Use Performance Monitor on production servers to monitor CPU, disk I/O, and network usage.

During the replication process, periodically check for resource bottlenecks or abnormal usage.

Scheduled for off-peak hours:

If possible, schedule replication tasks to occur during times when the production server is under low load, such as evenings or weekends, to reduce the impact on normal business.

Consider using a third-party tool:

If built-in tools don't suffice, consider using third-party tools, which often offer more customization options and optimization features.

Have a nice day.

Best Regards,

Hania Lian

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