Step-by-Step Guide to Configure Data Deduplication on Windows Server

In this comprehensive guide, we will explore how to set up and configure Data Deduplication on Windows Server, a crucial task for any server administrator aiming to maximize available storage space. If this topic piques your interest, then this article is tailored for you.

Setting Up Data Deduplication on Windows Server

Data Deduplication, commonly known as Dedup, is a powerful solution that helps minimize the footprint of redundant data, thus lowering storage expenses. When activated, Data Deduplication analyzes the data on a volume to identify and keep only one copy of duplicate portions, with options for compression to enhance storage efficiency even further. Importantly, this process eliminates redundancies while preserving the integrity and accuracy of your data.

To configure Data Deduplication, follow these straightforward steps:

1. Install the Data Deduplication feature on your server.
2. Activate and set up Data Deduplication for your chosen volume.
3. Verify the status of Deduplication.

Let’s divulge into each step in detail.

1] Installing the Data Deduplication Feature

We’ll begin by installing the Data Deduplication feature on your server. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Launch Server Manager on your machine.
2. Click on Manage > Add Roles and Features.
3. Select Next, then choose Role-based or feature-based installation and click Next again.
4. Continue clicking Next until you reach the Server Roles section, expand File and Storage Services, then File and iSCSI Services, check the Data Deduplication option, and click Install.
5. When prompted, select Add Features.

Complete the installation process from there.

As an alternative, you can employ PowerShell to install Data Deduplication. Simply run PowerShell with administrative privileges and execute the following command:

For installation from a server with Windows Server 2016 or later, or a Windows PC with RSAT, use:

Install-WindowsFeature -ComputerName <Server-Name> -Name FS-Data-Deduplication

If you have PowerShell remoting enabled, execute this command:

Enter-PSSession -ComputerName <Server-Name> dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:dedup-core /all

2] Activate and Configure Data Deduplication for Your Chosen Volume

After successful installation, you can enable Data Deduplication on the desired volumes. Follow these steps:

1. In Server Manager, click the Refresh button.
2. Navigate to File and Storage Services.
3. Click on Volumes.
4. Right-click on the volume where you want to enable this feature and select Configure Data Deduplication.
5. In the Data Deduplication interface that appears, expand the dropdown menu next to Data Deduplication and select General purpose file server.
6. In the field labeled ‘Duplication file older than,’ specify the number of days after which files should be considered for duplication.
7. You can set exceptions by adding specific file extensions under ‘Custom file extensions to exclude’ or by selecting entire folders via the Add button.
8. Configure the Deduplication Schedule by clicking Set Deduplication Schedule to align with your organization’s operational requirements.
9. It is advisable to keep Enable background optimization checked, as deduplication should be a lower priority task.
10. Also, check Enable throughput optimization and set it for late-night hours to avoid resource consumption during peak times.
11. If desired, select Create a second schedule for throughput optimization to set another time window. Click Apply > Ok once you confirm your schedule.
12. Finalize by clicking Apply > Ok.

For a more streamlined approach, you can create a deduplication policy on a specific drive using PowerShell with the following command:

Enable-DedupVolume -Volume <Volume-Path> -UsageType <Selected-Usage-Type>

This command will accomplish your task efficiently.

3] Verifying the Deduplication Status

To check if deduplication has been set up correctly, enter the command – Get-DedupStatus or Get-DedupStatus | fl in an elevated PowerShell window.

To view your deduplication schedule, execute – Get-DedupSchedule. Alternatively, you can access Task Scheduler, navigate to the Deduplication section, and review the schedules created. Right-click on any task to run it for immediate verification. Run Get-DedupStatus to monitor deduplication status or Get-DedupJob for job specifics.

Once you’re satisfied with the scheduling and job execution, simply close Server Manager, confident that your tasks will proceed as planned and that your volumes will undergo deduplication.

That’s all there is to it!

How can I enable deduplication in Windows Server?

To initiate data deduplication in Windows Server, first ensure the feature is installed from Server Manager. After this, follow the aforementioned steps to configure Deduplication and schedule its operation.

What are the prerequisites for data deduplication in Windows?

To effectively use Data Deduplication, you will need Windows Server 2012 or a newer version. Additionally, the volumes needing deduplication must be formatted with NTFS. This feature performs optimally with various workloads, including general-purpose file servers, virtual desktop infrastructures (VDI), and virtualized backup solutions.

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