Server and agent folders

Continua CI Discussion
1

We have our server and agent on the same system.  Recently our IT folks deployed a new virus scanner, and it's killing our performance (doubling build times).

What I'd like to to is exclude redundant scans.  In order to make a call on that, I need to understand what these folders are for.

agent config:
server config: 
\\DEVCONTINUA\CI share points to E:\Continua

What I'm trying to figure out is what each of the following folders contains, so that I can exclude redundant virus scanning:

E:\Continua\Rc
E:\Continua\Ws
E:\Workspace\Repos
E:\Workspace\Ws

Here's my current theory on the contents:

Server DataSharePath:
  \Rc cache for repositories
  \Ws is server copy of agent workspace and used for agent-server and server-agent workspace sync

AgentWorkspacePath
  \Repos - I'm not sure what this is for??
  \Ws - agent workspace, copied from server \Ws, builds happen here

Any tips appreciated.   I'd like to keep the redundant virus scanning to a minimum.  So far I've requested they exclude E:\Workspace as I suspect that's the main issue.

2

Hi,

Your description of the various folders is correct. The AgentWorkspacePath \Repos folder in the agent workspace stores a clone of each repository cache.

Here’s how the folders are used in the build process.

  • Repository files are exported to the server repository cache (E:\Continua\Rc) when repositories are polled.
  • Differences are synchronised from the repository cache on the server to the repository cache on the agent (E:\Workspace\Repos) when required for starting a build stage.
  • Repository files are exported from the agent repository cache to the agent workspace folder (E:\Workspace\Ws) when a build stage starts (according to the repository rules).
  • Other files may be transferred from the server workspace folder (E:\Continua\Ws) to the agent workspace folder when a build stage starts (according to the workspace rules).
  • Files are transferred from the agent workspace folder to the server workspace folder when a build stage completes (according to the workspace rules).

There is likely to be significant I/O on each on these folders, the efficiency of which is affected by real-time virus scanning. Repository performance is particularly influenced by I/O throughput on the repository cache folders. 

For optimal performance, exclude both E:\Continua and E:\Workspace from real-time virus protection. You should however include these folders in a scheduled virus scan - preferably at a time when not many builds are running. Also ensure that that these folders are properly secured so that they are only accessible by the server and agent service accounts. 

If you are using the bundled PostgreSql database, database performance can also be optimised by excluding %ProgramData%\VSoft\ContinuaCI\PostgreSQLDB.


 
3

Thank you for the recommendations.