Who is this article for?

Users seeking guidance on storage space requirements.

No elevated permission are required.

This article provides insights into the factors that influence storage space requirements for a Please Review installation, helping users make informed decisions about their infrastructure needs.

1. Calculating Document File Storage
2. Managing Log File Storage
3. Addressing Temporary File Storage
4. Assessing Database Storage Requirements
5. Considering PrizmDoc File Storage (v6.x only)

1. Calculating Document File Storage

Please Review stores multiple versions of each uploaded document to facilitate browser-based rendering and document reconstruction during download. The storage required for each document varies depending on its content and complexity, but on average, it can be around 10 times the size of the original document. For example, if users review 10 Word documents, each 5MB in size, per week, the weekly storage requirement may be approximately 50MB.

It's important to note that while Please Review can store these files, it is not designed to be a long-term document management system. Users should regularly download and remove older reviews to optimize storage usage. The location of the document storage is defined in the Runtime\config\config.xml file and can be configured to use a different drive or server than the web application.

Important Note: When moving the document storage location, ensure that the contents are synchronized with the database at a specific point in time. Inconsistencies between the stored files and the database can lead to problems. To minimize risks, consider stopping the Please Review system (both web application and service) during the final migration to prevent any file additions or deletions.

2. Managing Log File Storage

Please Review generates log files that are stored on the server. The location and log rotation settings are defined in the Runtime\config\TaraService.logging.config and TaraWeb.logging.config files. Depending on the initial installation version and server activity, these files can consume a significant amount of storage space. The default logging level can be increased for diagnostic purposes, further increasing storage usage.

To manage log file storage, consider implementing a log retention policy, keeping only the most recent files (e.g., less than a month old) for debugging purposes. Third-party log file management applications or custom scripts can be used to automate this process. The default location for log files is Runtime\data\log, but this can be changed to another location if needed. Note that in a multi-site setup, there may be separate logs for each associated application.

3. Addressing Temporary File Storage

During various upload and download processes, Please Review stores temporary files in a designated folder. While these files are usually cleaned up after processing, errors or interruptions can lead to orphaned files. The amount of storage consumed by these temporary files depends on the frequency of such incidents. The location of the temporary file storage is set in the Runtime\config\config.xml file and defaults to Runtime\data\temp.

To optimize temporary file storage, consider periodically cleaning up the temp folder, retaining only recent files (e.g., less than a month old) for debugging purposes. When using load balancing, each server should have its own temp folder, and shared locations should be avoided to maintain system efficiency.

4. Assessing Database Storage Requirements

The Please Review database can be hosted on the same web server or a separate server. Its storage requirements depend on the usage patterns, such as the number of reviews, documents, comments, and changes. As Please Review evolves and supports more complex change tracking, like imported Word tracked changes (available since v6.4), the data stored for these elements will also increase.

Database administrators should monitor database growth and implement appropriate backup and maintenance routines. For SQL Server installations, log truncation after backups should be considered to manage storage effectively.

5. Considering PrizmDoc File Storage (v6.x only)

For Please Review v6.x instances, PrizmDoc is used for handling PDF functionality, requiring a separate copy of all uploaded PDF files to be stored. This additional storage requirement is eliminated when upgrading to v7.x. The location of the original PDF copies is confirmed in the Runtime\config\config.xml file between the Tara.Pcc.DocumentDir and Tara.Pcc.SubDir values. See the PrizmDoc installation instructions for more details on that.

PrizmDoc also generates a significant amount of log file content. While it has log rotation rules, they may not apply to all log files, leading to substantial growth, particularly in older versions. To manage PrizmDoc log files, consider stopping the PrizmDoc service (as it locks some files) and clearing out the logs while preserving the folder structure under the logs folder. Deleting these folders may prevent PrizmDoc from starting until they are recreated.

By understanding the factors that influence storage requirements and implementing appropriate management strategies, users can ensure optimal performance and scalability of their Please Review installation.