# How to configure Archive file location in OpenHistorian?

**URL:** <http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/t/how-to-configure-archive-file-location-in-openhistorian/623>\
**Category:** openHistorian\
**Created:** [February 6, 2020, 6:17am UTC](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/t/how-to-configure-archive-file-location-in-openhistorian/623 "2020-02-06T06:17:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 17\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![logesaustralia](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/user_avatar/discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/logesaustralia/32/514_2.png) [@logesaustralia](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/u/logesaustralia)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2020, 6:17am UTC](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/t/how-to-configure-archive-file-location-in-openhistorian/623/1 "2020-02-06T06:17:38Z")

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Hi,

I want to configure a remote server shared location to save the OpenHistorian Archive files (.d2i files).

Please explain the configuration settings for this.

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**Author:** ![ritchiecarroll](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/user_avatar/discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/ritchiecarroll/32/2_2.png) [@ritchiecarroll](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/u/ritchiecarroll)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2020, 4:07pm UTC](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/t/how-to-configure-archive-file-location-in-openhistorian/623/2 "2020-02-06T16:07:52Z")

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The best documentation we have for this is here:

> **[Configuring Multiple Archive Locations](https://github.com/GridProtectionAlliance/openHistorian/wiki/Configuring-Multiple-Archive-Locations)**
>
> The Open Source Time-Series Data Historian. Contribute to GridProtectionAlliance/openHistorian development by creating an account on GitHub.

Thanks,  
Ritchie

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![logesaustralia](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/user_avatar/discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/logesaustralia/32/514_2.png) [@logesaustralia](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/u/logesaustralia)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2020, 1:53am UTC](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/t/how-to-configure-archive-file-location-in-openhistorian/623/3 "2020-02-09T01:53:42Z")

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Thanks for your information.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![logesaustralia](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/user_avatar/discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/logesaustralia/32/514_2.png) [@logesaustralia](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/u/logesaustralia)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 4:11am UTC](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/t/how-to-configure-archive-file-location-in-openhistorian/623/4 "2020-07-31T04:11:42Z")

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Hi Ritchie,

I configured archive file locations below manner using PPA Connection string parameter  
E.g.  
ArchiveDirectories={C:\Program Files\openHistorian\Archive};WorkingDirectory=E:\Logu\Archive  
Output:

Archive files are writing to “E:\Logu\Archive”, once space is getting low, I got below error in log file, it’s not switching to another archive location “C:\Program Files\openHistorian\Archive” automatically.  
Do I need to add any other settings?

Please clarify and if anything needs to be done, please let me know.

```nohighlight
[7/31/2020 1:39:35 PM] Date and Time: 7/31/2020 1:39:35 PM
Machine Name: NOJA-180
Machine IP: fe80::7970:c144:d14d:84c7%8
Machine OS: Microsoft Windows NT 6.2.9200.0

Application Domain: openHistorian.exe
Assembly Codebase: C:/Program Files/openHistorian/openHistorian.exe
Assembly Full Name: openHistorian, Version=2.6.30.2, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null
Assembly Version: 2.6.30.2
Assembly Build Date: 3/31/2020 5:29:18 PM
.Net Runtime Version: 4.0.30319.42000

Exception Source: GSF.SortedTreeStore
Exception Type: System.Exception
Exception Message: Out of free space
Exception Target Site: GetPathWithEnoughSpace

---- Stack Trace ----
   GSF.Snap.Services.Writer.SimplifiedArchiveInitializer`2.GetPathWithEnoughSpace(estimatedSize As Int64)
       SimplifiedArchiveInitializer'2.cs: Ln 0168, Col 09, IL 0133
   GSF.Snap.Services.Writer.SimplifiedArchiveInitializer`2.CreateArchiveFile(startKey As TKey, endKey As TKey, estimatedSize As Int64, data As TreeStream`2, archiveIdCallback As Action`1)
       SimplifiedArchiveInitializer'2.cs: Ln 0094, Col 13, IL 0008
   GSF.Snap.Services.Writer.FirstStageWriter`2.RolloverTask_Running(sender As Object, e As EventArgs`1)
       FirstStageWriter'2.cs: Ln 0311, Col 21, IL 0976
   GSF.Threading.ScheduledTask.TryCallback(args As ScheduledTaskRunningReason)
       ScheduledTask.cs: Ln 0277, Col 21, IL 0049

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ritchiecarroll](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/user_avatar/discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/ritchiecarroll/32/2_2.png) [@ritchiecarroll](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/u/ritchiecarroll)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 1:19pm UTC](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/t/how-to-configure-archive-file-location-in-openhistorian/623/5 "2020-07-31T13:19:41Z")

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How much space is available on each drive?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![logesaustralia](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/user_avatar/discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/logesaustralia/32/514_2.png) [@logesaustralia](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/u/logesaustralia)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2020, 12:50am UTC](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/t/how-to-configure-archive-file-location-in-openhistorian/623/6 "2020-08-03T00:50:33Z")

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Hi Ritchie,

Thanks for your response,

I used below locations  
E:, its a USB drive, it was with 1 GB free space and archive files were stored and once reached 350 MB free space, I got above mentioned error message in error log and not moved to C: drive.

C: drive, its with 200 GB free space.

Do we need to set any other configuration parameters to move automatically?

Thanks & Regards  
Logu

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**Author:** ![StephenCWills](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/user_avatar/discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/stephencwills/32/20_2.png) [@StephenCWills](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/u/StephenCWills)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2020, 7:22pm UTC](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/t/how-to-configure-archive-file-location-in-openhistorian/623/7 "2020-08-03T19:22:35Z")

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Hi Logu,

It could be a permissions issue on the files in the archive directory. The openHistorian will try to attach all `*.d2` and `*.d2i` files in that directory at startup. If it encounters an error in that process, it removes the directory from the collection of “write directories” that define where it can put archive files. With no write directories, openHistorian would correctly assess that there is zero drive space for writing the file and throw a misleading error about being out of drive space.

Thanks,  
Stephen

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![logesaustralia](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/user_avatar/discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/logesaustralia/32/514_2.png) [@logesaustralia](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/u/logesaustralia)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2020, 2:52am UTC](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/t/how-to-configure-archive-file-location-in-openhistorian/623/8 "2020-08-04T02:52:05Z")

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Hi Stephen,  
Thanks for your response.  
I have configured below settings and uses 2 directories.

ArchiveDirectories={C:\Program Files\openHistorian\Archive}; WorkingDirectory=E:\Logu\Archive

```
 1.	C:\Program Files\openHistorian\Archive as secondary storage
 2.	E:\Logu\Archive as main storage

```

Both locations are having writing permission, to confirm that, if we use each directory as part of “WorkingDirectory” parameter, archive files are storing properly.

Only concern is “ArchiveDirectories” parameter is not working, it means, once WorkingDirectory is filled then not moving to Archive directory automatically.

Thanks & Regards  
Logu

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![StephenCWills](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/user_avatar/discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/stephencwills/32/20_2.png) [@StephenCWills](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/u/StephenCWills)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2020, 5:13am UTC](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/t/how-to-configure-archive-file-location-in-openhistorian/623/9 "2020-08-04T05:13:07Z")

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Now that you mention it, the error is thrown from the `FirstStageWriter`, indicating that that the E: drive doesn’t have enough free space during a stage 1 rollover. Likely, this means that your file size settings and desired remaining space settings are not set appropriately. To understand why, I’ll need to clarify what you have set up.

Rather than a “main storage” location and a “secondary storage” location, what you have configured is a working directory for stage 1 and stage 2 rollovers as well as a “final write path” for stage 3 rollovers. Files aren’t moved when `WorkingDirectory` is filled. Instead, in-memory structures get dumped to a stage 1 file, then stage 1 files are combined into a stage 2 file, and finally stage 2 files are combined into stage 3 files. Only the stage 3 files will be written to `ArchiveDirectories`.

If you can only fit 1 GB of data on your working directory’s drive, you need to target a stage 3 file size that is less than 1 GB so it rolls over before filling up the E: drive. The `TargetFileSize` setting allows you to select an appropriate size. The default target file size is 2 GB so that is clearly not going to work. The minimum is 0.1 GB. Note that the target file size is more of a suggestion than an absolute maximum, so I would recommend selecting a conservative number.

If you want your working directory’s folder to fill up beyond 650 MB, you need to decrease the desired remaining space for the stage 1 and stage 2 rollovers. Both stages’ settings are hardcoded to 1 GB so you would need to modify the code to reduce it. I suspect this may be something you’ve already done, considering your openHistorian version number and the fact that it fills up to 350 MB remaining.

Thanks,  
Stephen

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ritchiecarroll](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/user_avatar/discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/ritchiecarroll/32/2_2.png) [@ritchiecarroll](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/u/ritchiecarroll)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2020, 1:09pm UTC](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/t/how-to-configure-archive-file-location-in-openhistorian/623/10 "2020-08-04T13:09:20Z")

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Also note there is an additional setting `DesiredRemainingSpace`, in Gigabyte units, that comes into play here - each drive must have at least this much space left in order to be usable.

Note that the default value is set to 500 GB,

Ritchie

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![StephenCWills](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/user_avatar/discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/stephencwills/32/20_2.png) [@StephenCWills](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/u/StephenCWills)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2020, 1:27pm UTC](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/t/how-to-configure-archive-file-location-in-openhistorian/623/11 "2020-08-04T13:27:13Z")

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FYI, it looks like the `DesiredRemainingSpace` setting was added in v2.7.36.0 so it should not available in v2.6.30.2. Even if it were, the setting only affects stage 3 rollovers. Stage 1 and stage 2 are still hardcoded at 1 GB and would therefore need to be tweaked via code modifications.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![logesaustralia](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/user_avatar/discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/logesaustralia/32/514_2.png) [@logesaustralia](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/u/logesaustralia)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 4:57am UTC](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/t/how-to-configure-archive-file-location-in-openhistorian/623/12 "2020-08-07T04:57:47Z")

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Hi Stephen/Ritchie,

Thanks for your response.

Please clarify my queries and confirm my statements/understandings.

1. Is the first priority “WorkingDirectory”?

2. “DesiredRemainingSpace” applicable only for “WorkingDirectory” or each ArchiveDirectories including WorkingDirectory?

3. Looks like “DesiredRemainingSpace” parameter is not available with my current openHistorian version 2.6.x.  
By default, the desired DesiredRemainingSpace is 500 GB. If my working directory and archive directory contains 500GB free space then rollover will happen automatically, without any code changes?

Please clarify.

Thanks & Regards  
Logu

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![StephenCWills](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/user_avatar/discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/stephencwills/32/20_2.png) [@StephenCWills](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/u/StephenCWills)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 1:38pm UTC](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/t/how-to-configure-archive-file-location-in-openhistorian/623/13 "2020-08-07T13:38:02Z")

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Hi Logu,

1. There is no priority. `WorkingDirectory` is where stage 1 and stage 2 files go. `ArchiveDirectories` is where stage 3 files go. They are mutually exclusive. You can expect your most recent data to exist in the `WorkingDirectory`, and data typically won’t be written into the `ArchiveDirectories` until the amount of data you’ve built up reaches the target file size. For that reason, you can also expect many more writes in the `WorkingDirectory`, and relatively few writes in the `ArchiveDirectories`.

2. The `DesiredRemainingSpace` connection string parameter applies only to the destination folder of the stage 3 rollover. In other words, it only applies to `ArchiveDirectories` and does not apply to `WorkingDirectory`. However, each rollover does apply the same logic to determine if a drive has enough space left to write an archive file into the destination folder. The stage 1 and stage 2 rollover processes have a value of 1 GB for `DesiredRemainingSpace` that can only be modified by changing the openHistorian source code.

3. In v2.6.30.0 of openHistorian, the `DesiredRemainingSpace` is 1 GB for stage 1 and stage 2 rollovers and 5 GB for stage 3 rollovers. When performing a rollover, openHistorian estimates what the size of the file it will be producing is going to be. It then determines the total free space on the drive(s) that contain the destination folder for the archive file to be written and subtracts the estimated size from it. If that amount is greater than or equal to the `DesiredRemainingSpace` for that stage, then it will write the file to the destination folder. Otherwise, it will throw the “Out of free space” error.

Thanks,  
Stephen

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![logesaustralia](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/user_avatar/discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/logesaustralia/32/514_2.png) [@logesaustralia](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/u/logesaustralia)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2020, 6:59am UTC](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/t/how-to-configure-archive-file-location-in-openhistorian/623/14 "2020-08-13T06:59:35Z")

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Hi Stephen/Ritchie,

thanks for your help.

Regards  
Logu

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![logesaustralia](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/user_avatar/discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/logesaustralia/32/514_2.png) [@logesaustralia](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/u/logesaustralia)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2020, 2:12am UTC](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/t/how-to-configure-archive-file-location-in-openhistorian/623/15 "2020-08-17T02:12:38Z")

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Hi Stephen,

I have an additional queries on this topic

1. Once the Archive Directories are reached max size, if we need to delete those old archive files automatically, what is the process?

I found “ArchiveOffloadMaxAge” property under group “statArchiveFile” . Can we use this property?  
Please give more details about this property and how to use ? if its suitable for my requirement.

Thanks & Regards  
Logu

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![StephenCWills](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/user_avatar/discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/stephencwills/32/20_2.png) [@StephenCWills](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/u/StephenCWills)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2020, 6:49pm UTC](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/t/how-to-configure-archive-file-location-in-openhistorian/623/16 "2020-08-17T18:49:58Z")

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Hi Logu,

No, the `ArchiveOffloadMaxAge` you referenced will only affect the STAT historian, which is using an openHistorian 1.0 archive to save system performance statistics. Instead, the openHistorian 2.0 archive has two relevant connection string settings: `ArchiveCurtailmentInterval` and `MaximumArchiveDays`.

The `ArchiveCurtailmentInterval` indicates how often you’d like openHistorian to clean up the archive, in seconds. The default interval is 86400 seconds, or once per day. The cleanup will remove all archive files that only contain data older than `MaximumArchiveDays`. The default `MaximumArchiveDays` is 0, which means that the curtailment is disabled. Increase the value of `MaximumArchiveDays` to enable the system to clean up after itself automatically.

There is no setting to clean up files based on available disk space. You will need to determine what should be an appropriate setting for `MaximumArchiveDays` that will prevent your drives from running out of space.

Thanks,  
Stephen

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![logesaustralia](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/user_avatar/discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/logesaustralia/32/514_2.png) [@logesaustralia](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/u/logesaustralia)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 3:16am UTC](http://discussions.gridprotectionalliance.org/t/how-to-configure-archive-file-location-in-openhistorian/623/17 "2020-08-18T03:16:05Z")

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Hi Stephen,

Thanks for your support. Its working fine.

Regards  
Logu