I want all those MP3 files out of my file server

[Zorpetus]

Hi,

Anybody has some tip how to monitor all those Mp3, .WMV, .AVI,
.MPG... files that users are saving on server. Not that we are
wasting our SDLT tapes on that kind of content but it takes much
more time for backup (and restore as well).

Yes, I can do a manual search each time for *.mp3, *.avi etc.
but such task is real pain in the a**, and I wonder if there
is some script or software (service) that would monitor total
file size per some extension(s) on the server and either
notify me (admin) or place report in some txt/html format somewhere
on the server (so I can make it to be my start page each morning).

I don't want to play cop and start deleting all those files - but
I would like to monitor what is the overall size of all those files
on the server (or per user) compared to other useful and real data,
and compared to free/total disk volume space - therefore to
ask the user to remove those files before I start full backup of
the server etc.

Anybody had the same problem? Any tips?

 

[David H. Lipman]

Do what my company does. We are all behind a FireWall/Proxy that blocks all the content you
describe.

This way they can't download them in the first place.

Dave




| Hi,
|
| Anybody has some tip how to monitor all those Mp3, .WMV, .AVI,
| .MPG... files that users are saving on server. Not that we are
| wasting our SDLT tapes on that kind of content but it takes much
| more time for backup (and restore as well).
|
| Yes, I can do a manual search each time for *.mp3, *.avi etc.
| but such task is real pain in the a**, and I wonder if there
| is some script or software (service) that would monitor total
| file size per some extension(s) on the server and either
| notify me (admin) or place report in some txt/html format somewhere
| on the server (so I can make it to be my start page each morning).
|
| I don't want to play cop and start deleting all those files - but
| I would like to monitor what is the overall size of all those files
| on the server (or per user) compared to other useful and real data,
| and compared to free/total disk volume space - therefore to
| ask the user to remove those files before I start full backup of
| the server etc.
|
| Anybody had the same problem? Any tips?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Hi,

Anybody has some tip how to monitor all those Mp3, .WMV, .AVI,
.MPG... files that users are saving on server. Not that we are
wasting our SDLT tapes on that kind of content but it takes much
more time for backup (and restore as well).

Yes, I can do a manual search each time for *.mp3, *.avi etc.
but such task is real pain in the a**, and I wonder if there
is some script or software (service) that would monitor total
file size per some extension(s) on the server and either
notify me (admin) or place report in some txt/html format somewhere
on the server (so I can make it to be my start page each morning).

I don't want to play cop and start deleting all those files - but
I would like to monitor what is the overall size of all those files
on the server (or per user) compared to other useful and real data,
and compared to free/total disk volume space - therefore to
ask the user to remove those files before I start full backup of
the server etc.

Anybody had the same problem? Any tips?

There are several ways to address this problem:

a) Draconian: Run a batch file on the server each night to delete such
files. You will have to post a note to all users before you implement
this measure.

b) Education: Tell your clients what the issues are, and appeal to their
sense of responsibility. Tell them that their department will be
charged for the cost of providing backup facilities as from next year.

c) Exposure: Expose the culprits by monitoring their activities. The
following
batch file (only partly tested) will do it by monitoring the amount of
disk
space used for music files by each user, and sending a notification to
the
user and to his supervisor.

@echo off
set Limit=10000000
set msg="%temp%\msg.tmp"
set EMail=somecompany.com

rem The file c:\Tools\Users.lst contains a list of all users to be
monitored.
rem It must be in this format:
rem JSmith ABrown
rem TWhite ABrown
rem The first word is the user's logon name & EMail prefix.
rem The second word is his administrator's EMail prefix

for /F "tokens=1,2" %%a in (c:\Tools\Users.lst) do call :CheckSpace %%a %%b
goto :eof

:CheckSpace
set total=0
set files=0
set user=%1
set supervisor=%2
rem The following lines assume that the user's share is in
\\YourServer\JSmith (for example)
for /F "tokens=1-4" %%a in ('dir /s /-c "\\YourServer\%user%\*.mp3 ^| find
/i "File(s)"') do set files1=%%a & set size1=%%c
for /F "tokens=1-4" %%a in ('dir /s /-c "\\YourServer\%user%\*.avi ^| find
/i "File(s)"') do set files2=%%a & set size2=%%c
for /F "tokens=1-4" %%a in ('dir /s /-c "\\YourServer\%user%\*.wav ^| find
/i "File(s)"') do set files3=%%a & set size3=%%c
set /a total=%size1% + %size2% + %size3%
set /a files=%files1% + %files2% + %files3%

if %total% LSS %Limit% goto :eof

echo Note to %user% > %msg%
echo Copy to %supervisor% >> %msg%
echo. >> %msg%
echo Server Disk Space Usage >> %msg%
echo ====================== >> %msg%
echo. >> %msg%
echo This is an automatic message from the disk space monitor.>> %msg%
echo. >> %msg%
echo You currently store %files% music files on your personal share on the
server.
echo These files consume %total% bytes of disk space. >> %msg%
echo. >> %msg%
echo Your own words here . . . >> %msg%

echo c:\tools\blat . . . %user%@%email% . . . %supervisor%@%email% . . .
%msg%

The last line uses the freeware command line mailer blat.exe. It is used to
send
an email message to the nominated recipients (the user and his supervisor).

 

[Leythos]

Anybody has some tip how to monitor all those Mp3, .WMV, .AVI,
.MPG... files that users are saving on server. Not that we are
wasting our SDLT tapes on that kind of content but it takes much
more time for backup (and restore as well).

If you don't want them backed up, why not enter an exclusion in the
backup task? Almost every backup application will allow you to exclude
files by extension.

 

[Enkidu]

If you don't want them backed up, why not enter an exclusion in the
backup task? Almost every backup application will allow you to exclude
files by extension.

Like Zopetus says, it slows the backup down.

Cheers,

Cliff

 

[David H. Lipman]

As Leythos indicated, if you exclude the offending file type, those file will be bypassed
and there will be no slowdown by those files.

Did that point escape you ?

Dave




|
| >In article <[email protected]>,
| >[email protected] says...
| >> Anybody has some tip how to monitor all those Mp3, .WMV, .AVI,
| >> .MPG... files that users are saving on server. Not that we are
| >> wasting our SDLT tapes on that kind of content but it takes much
| >> more time for backup (and restore as well).
| >
| >If you don't want them backed up, why not enter an exclusion in the
| >backup task? Almost every backup application will allow you to exclude
| >files by extension.
| >
| Like Zopetus says, it slows the backup down.
|
| Cheers,
|
| Cliff

 

[Enkidu]

The backup program still has to decide whether or not to backup a
file, based on the criteria given to it.

Cheers,

Cliff

 

[Rob Stow]

The backup program still has to decide whether or not to backup a
file, based on the criteria given to it.

Wow ! Fifty whole clock cycles wasted deciding not to
back up an MP3 when they could have been used to back
up an four whole bytes of /valuable/ data.

Cheers,

Cliff

--
BOYCOTT GOOGLE !
Partners in crime with the scum that rules China.

For more info search for "Google China Censor Searches".
http://search.yahoo.com/search?_adv...vm=i&amp;vc=&amp;fl=1&amp;vl=lang_en&amp;n=10"

Google's side of the story:
http://www.google.com/googleblog/2004/09/china-google-news-and-source-inclusion.html

 

[Zorpetus]

Do what my company does. We are all behind a FireWall/Proxy that blocks all

the content you describe.

This way they can't download them in the first place.

Sure, we also do have MS ISA server and blocking download of all
those files (plus we block streaming so they don't waste bandwith on
all those live Internet radio stations etc.) - but they do bring CD's
from home and share those files by placing them on the server...
without ever removeing them from there ;-)

 

[David H. Lipman]

First put out an office directive that includes an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) which clearly
states what is allowed on the server and acceptable behaviour when using the "company owned"
equipment. All employees should sign this document or send it via email with a "read
receipt". Within 24hrs after the memorandum has been generated, delete all unacceptable
files. If files are found after that point. Determine the ownership of the files on the
server and bring the matter to the attention of senior management.

I also think Leythos' idea to exclude these file types is good idea.

Dave




| > Do what my company does. We are all behind a FireWall/Proxy that blocks all
| >the content you describe.
| >
| > This way they can't download them in the first place.
|
| Sure, we also do have MS ISA server and blocking download of all
| those files (plus we block streaming so they don't waste bandwith on
| all those live Internet radio stations etc.) - but they do bring CD's
| from home and share those files by placing them on the server...
| without ever removeing them from there ;-)

 

[David H. Lipman]

As Rob Stow indicates, it takes but a split second to make the logical decision to not back
up the file(s) whiles it would have taken minutes to perform the backup. As an
administrator, I think this is a good and sensible process.

Dave



|
| The backup program still has to decide whether or not to backup a
| file, based on the criteria given to it.
|
| Cheers,
|
| Cliff

 

[Leythos]

Like Zopetus says, it slows the backup down.

Excluding the files, in the backup config, will NOT slow it down, in
fact it will make the backup faster.

 

[Leythos]

As Leythos indicated, if you exclude the offending file type, those file will be bypassed
and there will be no slowdown by those files.

Did that point escape you ?

Not only that, but the backup process most likely searches the drive
before it starts, in order to build a backup list, so it's not doing
much as far as CPU cycles.

 

[Leythos]

Sure, we also do have MS ISA server and blocking download of all
those files (plus we block streaming so they don't waste bandwith on
all those live Internet radio stations etc.) - but they do bring CD's
from home and share those files by placing them on the server...
without ever removeing them from there ;-)

Now you get to the root of your problem - a company policy the prohibits
the storage/use of MP3 files, but you don't enforce it.

Why not just delete the files, with recursion, before the backup process
runs. If they are not to be in the company, and it would be considered
pirated materials, then, as a company, you should be deleting them once
you are aware of them.

If they want to listen to music they can bring in a CD and Player.

 

[Enkidu]

Excluding the files, in the backup config, will NOT slow it down, in
fact it will make the backup faster.

Faster than including the files in the backup, yes, but if you delete
the files then do the backup it will be faster than if you just
exclude them.

You know, sometimes I wish that you guys would actually go ahead and
try these things before you pontificate. I know, because I've done it,
that backing up after deleting files is much faster than backing up
the same data by excluding files. Now you can theorise all you like.
But the acid test is the practical one. It IS faster if you delete the
files rather than exclude them.

Cheers,

Cliff

 

[Zorpetus]

You know, sometimes I wish that you guys would actually go ahead and

try these things before you pontificate. I know, because I've done it,
that backing up after deleting files is much faster than backing up
the same data by excluding files. Now you can theorise all you like.
But the acid test is the practical one. It IS faster if you delete the
files rather than exclude them.

Yes, you are right, it slows the backup process down. Also, it waste
server storage space as well.

I was hoping to receive some hint in a form of a script (thanx Pegasus!),
which would help me to determnine who has all those MP3 files on the
server and to ask the user (by e-mail, politely) to remove it before
the backup.

Ideally, it would be best if some script could be written to give some
.htm (.txt) report on the some shared area of the file server that I
could make as my "start" page of my browser - so I could see server
disk usage statistics each morning when I turn my computer on.

People suggested me to start using Perl - but I am afraid that is
too complex to be learnt overnight - and maybe a overkill for the
purpose I need.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Yes, you are right, it slows the backup process down. Also, it waste
server storage space as well.

I was hoping to receive some hint in a form of a script (thanx Pegasus!),
which would help me to determnine who has all those MP3 files on the
server and to ask the user (by e-mail, politely) to remove it before
the backup.

Ideally, it would be best if some script could be written to give some
.htm (.txt) report on the some shared area of the file server that I
could make as my "start" page of my browser - so I could see server
disk usage statistics each morning when I turn my computer on.

The script sample I gave you creates one text file for every user's
personal share. Isn't this what you require?

 

[Leythos]

Faster than including the files in the backup, yes, but if you delete
the files then do the backup it will be faster than if you just
exclude them.

I don't think anyone disputes the idea that a backup is faster if the
files are not there to process, even when excluding them.

You know, sometimes I wish that you guys would actually go ahead and
try these things before you pontificate. I know, because I've done it,
that backing up after deleting files is much faster than backing up
the same data by excluding files. Now you can theorise all you like.
But the acid test is the practical one. It IS faster if you delete the
files rather than exclude them.

And I wish that people would read the question before posting a smart-
ass reply like yours. The problem is that there was no simple means to
offer a DELETE solution for the OP, and since his question also
mentioned time as being critical, the exclusion method IS the fastest
method anyone has presented to him.

Sure, it would be nice to delete the offending files first, but I don't
see you offering a solution down that road - all I see is you
complaining about people that provided him a solution to decrease his
backup time based on what he has available.

As for you incorrect assumption that we don't do/try these things before
posting, well, you're wrong.

I offered a DELETE solution, but that would also delete any valid MP3
files. Several of us offered a exclusion solution, which would decrease
the backup size and decrease the backup time. You've not offered
anything but criticism.

 

[Zorpetus]

the same data by excluding files. Now you can theorise all you like.

But the acid test is the practical one. It IS faster if you delete the
files rather than exclude them.

I've found nice piece of software (freeware) called ZDU (by Haywire).
It is DOS-like utility (command prompt) with plenty of switches for
various reports.

And output could be redirected to a .txt file (so I could put it on a
shared folder where task managers can see disk usage statistics, specially
by all those media files... ;-)

But, now I have a problem how to put ZDE.EXE to work on a regular basis
on the server, without anybody logged on?
How to make such script?

Any idea?

 

[Zorpetus]

The script sample I gave you creates one text file for every user's

personal share. Isn't this what you require?

Yes!

Thank you very much!
I just have to figure out how to:

a) extend this batch process to some other folder trees (just to add
one
more line with that alternate path?)

b) how to run it without anybody logged on (with the help of Command
Scheduler I guess - but it seems that it needs CMD.EXE as well?).

Thank you very much in advance one more time!!!!