How to Use the 'Get-DedupProperties' Command in PowerShell (with examples)

Data Deduplication is a powerful feature that helps in optimizing storage usage on Windows Server environments by eliminating duplicate copies of repeating data. The Get-DedupProperties command in PowerShell is a handy utility to gather crucial information about how deduplication is configured and performing on a particular drive or volume. This command can be indispensable for administrators who are trying to understand or manage deduplication in their systems efficiently. Below are different use cases showcasing how to use this command to gather deduplication properties of a drive in various ways.

Use case 1: Get Data Deduplication information of the drive using the drive letter

Code:

Get-DedupProperties -DriveLetter 'C'

Motivation:

Using the drive letter to obtain deduplication properties is a straightforward approach when you know exactly which drive you want to inspect. This method is incredibly useful for quickly checking on drives that are commonly recognized by their letters, such as the system drive (‘C’) or any other dedicated drive within your server setup. It’s particularly beneficial when you want to monitor or troubleshoot deduplication settings, performance, or savings on a specified drive.

Explanation:

• Get-DedupProperties: This is the main cmdlet used to retrieve deduplication information.
• -DriveLetter: This parameter specifies the drive from which you want to retrieve the deduplication properties. It’s a simple and direct way to identify the target drive.

Example Output:

DriveLetter : C
Capacity     : 500 GB
FreeSpace    : 200 GB
Optimization : Enabled
SavingsRate  : 30%
SavedSpace   : 45 GB
State        : Ready

In this output, you can see the drive letter, total capacity, free space, whether deduplication is enabled, the savings rate percentage, the amount of space saved due to deduplication, and the overall state of deduplication on the drive.

Use case 2: Get Data Deduplication information of the drive using the drive label

Code:

Get-DedupProperties -FileSystemLabel 'Label'

Motivation:

Sometimes, drives may not be easily identifiable by letters, especially in environments where drive letters might change or when you have many drives. In such cases, using a drive label can be ideal. Labels are human-friendly identifiers that often provide a more descriptive reference to the drive’s purpose (like ‘Backup’, ‘Media’, or ‘DataStorage’). This method is beneficial when dealing with multiple drives, ensuring that any operations are performed on the correct storage, minimizing the risk of human error.

Explanation:

• Get-DedupProperties: Again, the core cmdlet for fetching deduplication data.
• -FileSystemLabel: This parameter allows specifying the drive using its file system label. It offers a higher level of abstraction and clarity, especially in complex server environments.

Example Output:

FileSystemLabel : Label
Capacity        : 1 TB
FreeSpace       : 600 GB
Optimization    : Enabled
SavingsRate     : 40%
SavedSpace      : 200 GB
State           : Running

This output provides similar information as when using the drive letter, yet it’s identified here by its label which represents how the drive is utilized or organized.

Use case 3: Get Data Deduplication information of the drive using the input object

Code:

Get-DedupProperties -InputObject $(Get-Volume -DriveLetter 'E')

Motivation:

Using an input object to gather deduplication properties adds a layer of flexibility and automation. This approach is particularly useful when incorporating this command within larger scripts or when the environment dynamically assigns drive letters. For instance, in automated backups or dynamic storage provisioning scripts, this versatility ensures deduplication statistics are gathered correctly, without hardcoding specific drive letters or labels.

Explanation:

• Get-DedupProperties: The cmdlet utilized for deduplication data retrieval.
• -InputObject: This parameter allows the command to accept a volume object as input, which can be obtained through the Get-Volume cmdlet.
• $(Get-Volume -DriveLetter 'E'): This is a sub-command that retrieves the volume object for drive ‘E’. The Get-Volume cmdlet returns details about the volume, and by wrapping it in $(), we ensure that the full object (not just text) is passed to Get-DedupProperties.

Example Output:

VolumeName : VolumeE
Capacity   : 250 GB
FreeSpace  : 100 GB
Optimization: Enabled
SavingsRate: 25%
SavedSpace : 25 GB
State      : Ready

This output shows deduplication properties similar to other methods but sourced via a dynamic reference to the volume, allowing more adaptable and scalable scripting environments.

Conclusion

The Get-DedupProperties PowerShell command offers various methods to assess deduplication properties on Windows Server drives, making it an essential tool for storage management. Using the drive letter, label, or input object to gather these properties adapts to different administrative needs, from straightforward checks to complex, automated scripting environments. Understanding these use cases enables administrators to leverage deduplication to its fullest, optimizing storage solutions according to organizational needs.