Fri Aug 15, 2014 5:57 pm
Synoloy NAS that never hibernates workaround
Been working this for some time now. Sorry for the novel.
I have a DS214Play and a DS412+. I could get neither to hibernate appropriately. The constant "powered on" state ramped up the HDD temps to 30-32C. I am running WD Red 4TB drives. Both NAS are connected to a domain running under Windows Server 2012 Essentials.
Original configuration was the Synology NAS package using a Win7 pro client to run the console remotely. Library updates of any kind were disabled. Media files include a library of MKV, MP3, serveral playlists (wpl and m3u) and JPG (video, music, music playlists and images). When the NAS serviio package was stopped the NAS hibernated appropriately.
Second configuration was NAS for data storage. Win7 pro running windows serviio version 1.4.1.2 media library is mapped to the NAS using paths. Same results. All library updating was disabled. The NAS to which the library was pathed would not hibernate. The NAS log (rudimentary as it is) indicated CIFS chatter between the NAS and the Win7 client running serviio.
Though I am no expert I have had some experience chasing packets between network devices. I threw Wireshark on the Win7 machine and trapped all the activity between the IP address of the NAS and the client running the serviio server. I discovered that every 5 minutes the serviio server was connecting to the NAS. Specifically, it was opening and closing a request for the "Playlist" files. Stopped serviio and the polling ceased and NAS would hibernate. Deleted the "Playlists" and updated serviio the NAS hibernated correctly.
Third and current configuration is the same as the second except for playlists. I use WMP (windows media player) to create playlists 'cause it's convenient. Within WMP I changed the default save location to a "public" folder. Recreated the "playlists". In the serviio console I added a path to the "local" Win7 "public" folder for the "playlists" and forced an update. This configuration has been in place for over a week. NAS is going to sleep just as it should. HDD temps are now 20 to 22C. Only issue is the time it take for the NAS to wake up when I start streaming.
Had I not been able to isolate data on the NAS from the serviio server processes I am not sure that the chatter would have been easily identified. I am running a domain and have a few network tools at my disposal so it helped.
Conclusion: there is something in the serviio application that is polling the database related to "playlists" every 5 minutes regardless of the update library configuation. I believe this to be the case whether running the windows or synology based v1.4.1.2. If my theory is correct and you use playlists there will be issues getting appropriate hibernation from your Synology NAS unless you isolate at least the "playlists" from the Synology NAS storage. I have no idea if RSS feeds have a similar issue as I do not use them and did not perform any testng. Likewise all testing was done using Synology products.
PS. I have discovered that Synology utilizes some sort of keep alive indexing or whatever to make files more readily accessed. This feature prevents the use of cloud backup products such as carbonite because files constantly appear to be in use and the backup search engine continually polls for a file that will never be available for backup. Could be related. Don't know and as for now my set up is performing as desired!
I have a DS214Play and a DS412+. I could get neither to hibernate appropriately. The constant "powered on" state ramped up the HDD temps to 30-32C. I am running WD Red 4TB drives. Both NAS are connected to a domain running under Windows Server 2012 Essentials.
Original configuration was the Synology NAS package using a Win7 pro client to run the console remotely. Library updates of any kind were disabled. Media files include a library of MKV, MP3, serveral playlists (wpl and m3u) and JPG (video, music, music playlists and images). When the NAS serviio package was stopped the NAS hibernated appropriately.
Second configuration was NAS for data storage. Win7 pro running windows serviio version 1.4.1.2 media library is mapped to the NAS using paths. Same results. All library updating was disabled. The NAS to which the library was pathed would not hibernate. The NAS log (rudimentary as it is) indicated CIFS chatter between the NAS and the Win7 client running serviio.
Though I am no expert I have had some experience chasing packets between network devices. I threw Wireshark on the Win7 machine and trapped all the activity between the IP address of the NAS and the client running the serviio server. I discovered that every 5 minutes the serviio server was connecting to the NAS. Specifically, it was opening and closing a request for the "Playlist" files. Stopped serviio and the polling ceased and NAS would hibernate. Deleted the "Playlists" and updated serviio the NAS hibernated correctly.
Third and current configuration is the same as the second except for playlists. I use WMP (windows media player) to create playlists 'cause it's convenient. Within WMP I changed the default save location to a "public" folder. Recreated the "playlists". In the serviio console I added a path to the "local" Win7 "public" folder for the "playlists" and forced an update. This configuration has been in place for over a week. NAS is going to sleep just as it should. HDD temps are now 20 to 22C. Only issue is the time it take for the NAS to wake up when I start streaming.
Had I not been able to isolate data on the NAS from the serviio server processes I am not sure that the chatter would have been easily identified. I am running a domain and have a few network tools at my disposal so it helped.
Conclusion: there is something in the serviio application that is polling the database related to "playlists" every 5 minutes regardless of the update library configuation. I believe this to be the case whether running the windows or synology based v1.4.1.2. If my theory is correct and you use playlists there will be issues getting appropriate hibernation from your Synology NAS unless you isolate at least the "playlists" from the Synology NAS storage. I have no idea if RSS feeds have a similar issue as I do not use them and did not perform any testng. Likewise all testing was done using Synology products.
PS. I have discovered that Synology utilizes some sort of keep alive indexing or whatever to make files more readily accessed. This feature prevents the use of cloud backup products such as carbonite because files constantly appear to be in use and the backup search engine continually polls for a file that will never be available for backup. Could be related. Don't know and as for now my set up is performing as desired!
Sony XBR55X850A | Synology DS412+ DS214Play DS918+| QNAP TS-451 | Buffalo TS3400D | VM 6.5 ESXi | Server 2016, Server 2012 | Samsung Note 9
Samsung s9 | Samsung Tablets | Onkyo TX-NR656 | Sony BDP-S3700 | Multiple Harmony Hubs | Multiple Echo Devices | Firesticks | Toshiba FireTV | Sling/AirTV
Lutron Lighting and Honeywell Environmental Bridges | Amcrest 1080p Cameras
Samsung s9 | Samsung Tablets | Onkyo TX-NR656 | Sony BDP-S3700 | Multiple Harmony Hubs | Multiple Echo Devices | Firesticks | Toshiba FireTV | Sling/AirTV
Lutron Lighting and Honeywell Environmental Bridges | Amcrest 1080p Cameras
