Refresh 1 release for Azure File Sync Agent (Preview): January 2018

This article describes the Refresh 1 release improvements for the Azure File Sync Agent (Preview) that's dated January 2018. Additionally, this article contains installation instructions for this release.

• You can now sync from the root of a volume, such as drive D. Previously, a directory was required. For example, D:\directory_name.
• Agent installation is now allowed even if the Windows Update service is disabled.
• Agent installation is now allowed even if IIS isn't configured to use a default website.
• The agent installation now checks for more recent updates, and enables administrator opt-in to install.
• Dramatic performance increase occurs for FastDR namespace sync. Examples: a) slower disk test server: from 25k items/hour to 512k items/hour; b) fast disk test server: from 324k items/hour to 1.33M items/hour).
• Initial time for cloud tiering policy is moved from 32 hours to 1 hour (after it is set the first time). After the first cloud tiering occurs, successive checks occur every 5 minutes
• File changes are now downloaded as tiered files on other servers, if the file is new or was already a tiered file. Earlier behavior was that the full file content would be downloaded, and then tiered 36 hours later. This change saves significant space on the local file server.
• When the sync process experiences per-item errors during the initial upload, it is better able to report those errors in EventID 9900, as follows:
   
  • EventID 9900 shows files that did not sync on the local server.
  • EventID 9016 shows total runtime duration for cloud tiering on volume.
  • EventID 9302 shows sync upload progress.
• Made miscellaneous performance, reliability, and telemetry improvements.

• The Azure File Sync agent is supported on Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Server 2016.
• A restart may be required if relevant files are being used during the update rollup installation.

Refresh 1 for the Azure File Sync agent is available from Microsoft Update, Microsoft Update Catalog, and Microsoft Download Center.

Note The Refresh 1 installation package on the Microsoft Download Center is intended for new agent installations. If the Azure File Sync agent is currently installed on a server, use Microsoft Update or Microsoft Update Catalog to update the agent installation to Refresh 1.

Microsoft Update

To get and install the Refresh 1 update from Microsoft Update, follow these steps on a server that has Azure File Sync agent installed:

Windows Server 2016

1. Click Start, and then click Settings.
2. In Settings, click Update & security.
3. In the Windows Update window, click Check online for updates from Microsoft Update.
4. Verify that the Refresh 1 update is listed and then click Install now.

Windows Server 2012 R2

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. In Control Panel, double-click Windows Update.
3. In the Windows Update window, click Check for updates.
4. Click Important updates are available.
5. Verify that the Refresh 1 update is selected, and then click Install.

Microsoft Update Catalog

Go to the Microsoft Update Catalog website to download Azure File Sync Agent (Preview).

To manually install the update package, run the following command at elevated command prompt:

msiexec.exe /p packagename.msp REINSTALLMODE=OMUS REINSTALL=StorageSyncAgent /qb /l*vx storagesyncagentupdate.log

For example, to install the Azure File Sync agent update for Windows Server 2016, run the following command:

msiexec.exe /p StorageSyncAgent_WS2016_KB4073769.msp REINSTALLMODE=OMUS REINSTALL=StorageSyncAgent /qb /l*vx storagesyncagentupdate.log

Microsoft Download Center

Go to the Microsoft Download Center to download Azure File Sync Agent (Preview).

Note The Refresh 1 installation package on the Microsoft Download Center is intended for new agent installations. If the Azure File Sync agent is currently installed on a server, use Microsoft Update or Microsoft Update Catalog to update the agent installation to Refresh 1.

Learn about the terminology that Microsoft uses to describe software updates.