The document discusses Perforce's IC Manage Views product, which aims to accelerate workspace syncs, reduce network storage usage, and improve application performance for large software projects. It does this through techniques like dynamic virtual workspaces, local caching of files, intelligent file redirection that separates reads from writes, and real-time deduplication. The presentation includes case studies showing IC Manage Views can reduce network storage usage by 4x while providing 2x faster file access and improved application speeds. It provides benefits like being NAS agnostic, scalable savings, and reliable caching with recovery.

1. Perforce Merge 2013
Gopal Thakkar-Application Engineer, Bangalore
• Market Drivers
• Technology approaches
• IC Manage Views - Live demo
Workspace Acceleration &
Network Storage Reduction

2. Driven by Semiconductor Design, Video game software, Enterprise software…
Perforce depots: multi-TB+, 100,000,000s+ files
Single workspaces: multi-GB, 10,000s+ files
Users: 1000’s across globe
Digital Assets Growing at Rapid Rate

3. Application Slowdown
- ave. 30% tool iteration slowdown
Source: 2012 LaunchM Survey, 524 respondents
Storage issues
- costs + capacity not keeping up
Workspace syncs slow
- remote and/or local
Impact of Increasing Digital Assets:
Survey cites Top File System Problems

4. Accelerate
workspace syncs
Remove network
bandwidth bottleneck
Reduce network disk
space usage
SLOW
Syncs
Vision

5. Network Storage
Network Storage
Workspace C File 1 File 2 File 3
Workspace B File 1 File 2 File 3
Workspace A File 1 File 2 File 3
User A
User B
User C
• Duplicates file storage for every user workspace
• De-dupe too slow for fast changing data sets
• Saturates precious Tier 1 storage space
• Under-utilizes local caching
High Demand on Network Storage
Perforce
SCM Server
File Data
Metadata
File 1 File 2 File 3

6. File Not Yet
Opened
User A
User B
User C
Local Cache
File 2
0 b
File 1
0 b
File 3
0 b
• Virtual workspaces projected using Perforce db.have table information from fstat
• 100% dynamic, user controlled workspaces
• Local storage agnostic, e.g. disk, tmpfs, SSD....
Local Cache
File 2
0 b
File 1
0 b
File 3
0 b
Local Cache
File 2
0 b
File 1
0 b
File 3
0 b
Dynamic Virtual Workspaces
Instantly displays fully populated workspaces

7. Local Caching
Streams actual files on application / user demand
User A
User B
User C
Local Cache
File 2
0 b
File 1
0 b
File 3
0 b
• Files can be streamed from main Perforce server, Perforce proxy or Perforce replica
• TCP streaming protocol avoids traditional NFS-delivery latency
• 2x faster retrieval of cache-warm files due to on-board access
File Not Yet
Opened
File Opened
Read-only
Local Cache
File 1
0 b
File 3
0 bFile 2
Local Cache
File 2
0 b
File 1
0 b
File 3

8. User A
User B
Local Cache
File 2
Local Cache
File 3
0 b
File 2
0 b
User C
Local Cache
File 2
0 b
File 1
0 b
File 3
File 1
0 b
Automatic cache management stays within storage quotas using LRU algorithm
File 3
File
File 1
File Not Yet
Opened
File Opened
Read-only
Local caching - manages cache quotas

9. Intelligent File Redirection: 2x faster file access
Reads
Writes
Intelligent File Filtering approach
•Separates reads from writes, stores reads in
local cache
•Modified files automatically written to NAS
(or local cache)
Advantages
•Gets on-board speeds for reads instead of
network storage
•Modified files safely stored on network disks
•Automated - No manual management
Intelligent File Redirect
On-board speeds for reads
Network Storage
Local Cache
Read/
Write
Read
-only
Read
-only
Read
-only
Read/
Write
Read/
Write

10. User A
User B
Local Cache
Local Cache
File 3
0 b
File 2
0 b
User C
Local Cache
File 2
0 b
File 1
0 b
File 3
File 1
0 b
Newly created files, checked out files saved to network storage volume or kept local
File 3
File
File 2
0 b
Network Storage
TEMP 1
File Opened
Read/Write
File 1
File Not Yet
Opened
File Opened
Read-only
Intelligent file redirect

11. User A
User B
Local Cache
Local Cache
File 3
0 b
File 2
0 b
User C
Local Cache
File 2
0 b
File 1
0 b
File 3
File 1
0 b
Checked in objects automatically purged from write storage
Avoids duplicated files, frees up space.
File 3
File
File 2
0 b
Network Storage
File 1
TEMP 1
Real-time de-duplication - frees space after Perforce check-ins
File Opened
Read/Write
File Not Yet
Opened
File Opened
Read-only

12. IC Manage Views: Accelerates Workspace Syncs & Reduces Network Storage
IC Manage Views
Network storage
usage reduced
by 4x.
Local Caching,
Real-time De-dup
Zero-Time Sync
Workspaces.
Dynamic Virtual
Workspaces
2x faster file
access,
application
speed up.
Intelligent File
Redirection

13. IC Manage Views Additional Benefits
• NAS agnostic - 100% compatible with existing storage technologies
• Scalable - Savings increase with number of users and the size of databases.
• Flexibility to build Workspaces on Demand. Software teams can build
workspaces anywhere, avoiding problems and costs associated with disk
space allocation.
• Reliable. Handles cache recovery in the event of failures or errors.
• Designers maintain workspace file control and stability. No manual
management of network cache storage and different versions
• Reduces load on filers and network.