On the occasion of the Build 2024 conference, Microsoft spokespersons revealed some interesting innovations that will significantly change the behavior of the file system in a Windows environment. As we explained in the article on how the file system works, Microsoft has been focusing on NTFS for years but 2024, with the release of Windows 11 24H2could mark the consecration of ReFS (Resilient File System), at least on the cloud and in the business sector. Even with the help of the new ones Dev Drive.
The importance of Dev Drives for developers is growing
Introduced already in the past, with Dev Drive we refer to a new type of storage volume optimized for workloads supported by developers. Introduced by Microsoft, it relies on the ReFS file offering improved performance, security and control.
Dev Drive’s primary goal is to solve problems such as low I/O performance which can interrupt the workflow. By optimizing the file system and introducing new performance-oriented features (think asynchronous scanning with Microsoft Defender Antivirus), Dev Drive improves performance overall, especially in scenarios with high input/output at the file system level.
The Dev Drive setup process is simplified: creating volumes, adding VHD files, and managing disk and partition sizes are concentrated in one place.
Copying large files: lightning fast with File System Block Cloning for Dev Drive
During Build 2024, Microsoft engineers presented the new Dev Drive feature called File System Block Cloning. This is an innovative feature that allows you to to copy quickly large filesreducing I/O on the underlying storage and allowing multiple files to share logical clusters, without duplicating identical clusters.
The approach presented by Microsoft does not compromise the isolation between files and is useful for optimizing file copy operations, allowing for more efficient management and greater sharing of resources without needlessly duplicating data on disk.
The results are tangible: in some cases, the software engineers of the Redmond company say they have observed improvements – in the copying of large elements – that can reach up to 94%. Look at the summary table we publish below:
| Dimensions | NTFS | Dev Drive con Block Cloning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 GB | 7″ 964 ms | 641 ms | +92% |
| 1 GB | 681 ms | 38 ms | +94% |
| 1 MB | 11 ms | 9 ms | +18% |
| 18 GB (5.800 file) | 30″ 867 ms | 6″ 306 ms | +80% |
Furthermore, the Dev Home app is enriched with some new features. There is the possibility to manage Hyper-V virtual machines and Microsoft Dev Boxes on the cloud; developers can set up work environments, create images of virtual machine contents, start and stop them, pin them to the Windows taskbar, and more. All with a simple click.
Finally, developers can create configuration files useful for sharing Dev Home environment settings with collaborators or using them as template for subsequent processing.
Opening image credit: Microsoft