Refs or no refs

Should we start to use refs on ours filesystems?

Maybe, but not if any of the following true.

• It’s a domain controller – Refs doesn’t support hard links among other things.
• SQL Server – missing features like dbcc checkdb and snapshots.
• HyperV – missing features like integrity streams on vhdx
• It’s a bootpartition

Also there a few posts out there that have experienced problems with not being able to access refs-volumes after sudden power losses.

Why do we event want to use refs then?

• Refs handles corrupted files better
• Doesn’t need to use checkdisk anymore.

I think I’ll stick to ntfs for a little while longer…

References:

http://www.unitrends.com/hyper-v-backup/refs-generation-file-system-part-1/

http://www.petri.co.il/4-reasons-refs-is-better-than-ntfs.htm

http://windowsitpro.com/hyper-v/dont-use-refs-hyper-v

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/winserver8gen/thread/b14ddfe9-c31b-4dd8-a459-b177e355bdb1

http://www.aidanfinn.com/?p=13245