Azure File Sync Agent v4 release: November 2018

Introduction

This article describes the improvements and issues that are fixed in the Azure File Sync Agent v4 release that's dated November 2018. Additionally, this article contains installation instructions for this release.

Improvements and issues that are fixed

Adds support for Windows Server 2019. To get this support, manually download the full installer release of Azure File Sync Agent v4 release from the Microsoft Download Center.
Adds a new date-based cloud tiering policy setting. This policy setting is used to specify files that should be cached if accessed in a specified number of days.
Fixes an issue in which cloud tiering can take up to 24 hours to tier files.
Improvement when adding a new server to an existing sync group. Files are now downloaded based on the recently Created\Modified date from other servers in the sync group.
Improves interoperability with antivirus and other solutions so that tiered files can now use the FILE_ATTRIBUTE_RECALL_ON_DATA_ACCESS attribute.
Fixes an issue in which servers are unable to communicate with the Storage Sync Service when application-specific proxy settings are used.
Fixes an issue in which deleting a server endpoint no longer causes tiered files to become unusable as long as the cloud endpoint is not deleted and the server endpoint is re-created within 30 days.
Improves unattended agent installations by enabling the ability to include an answer file.
Adds support for a volume-level restore option on servers that have cloud tiering disabled.
Improves sync so that it now supports bidirectional control characters.
Adds miscellaneous performance and reliability improvements for sync and cloud tiering.

More information about the Azure File Sync agent v4 release

The Azure File Sync agent is supported on Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, and Windows Server 2019.
Azure File Sync agent version 3.1.0.0 or a later version is required to upgrade existing agent installations.
A restart is required on servers that have an existing Azure File Sync agent installation.
The agent version for the v4 release is 4.0.1.0.

How to get and install the v4 release for the Azure File Sync Agent

The Azure File Sync agent is available from Microsoft Update, Microsoft Update Catalog, and Microsoft Download Center.

Notes

If the Azure File Sync agent is not currently installed on a server, use the agent installation package on the Microsoft Download Center. The agent installation package on Microsoft Update and Microsoft Update Catalog is intended for agent upgrades only.
To update existing agent installations, run AfsUpdater.exe (located in the agent installation directory) or download and install the update from Microsoft Update or Microsoft Update Catalog.

Microsoft Update

To get and install this update from Microsoft Update, follow these steps on a server that has Azure File Sync Agent installed:

Windows Server 2016

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

Windows Server 2012 R2

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

Microsoft Update Catalog

Go to the following website to manually download this update from the Microsoft Update Catalog:

Azure File Sync Agent v4 release: November 2018 (KB4459986)

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

msiexec.exe /p packagename.msp REINSTALLMODE=OMUS REINSTALL=StorageSyncAgent,StorageSyncAgentAzureFileSync,StorageSyncAgentGuardFilter,StorageSyncAgentUpdater /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_KB4459986.msp REINSTALLMODE=OMUS REINSTALL=StorageSyncAgent,StorageSyncAgentAzureFileSync,StorageSyncAgentGuardFilter,StorageSyncAgentUpdater /qb /l*vx storagesyncagentupdate.log

New agent installation

Go to the Microsoft Download Center to manually download the full installer release of Azure File Sync Agent v4 release.

How to perform a silent installation for a new agent installation

Silent installation that uses default settings

To run a silent installation for a new agent installation that uses the default settings, run the following command at an elevated command prompt:

msiexec /i packagename.msi /qb /l*v AFSInstaller.log

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

msiexec /i StorageSyncAgent_V4_WS2016.msi /qb /l*v AFSInstaller.log

Note Use the /qb switch to display restart prompts (if required), agent update, and server registration screens. To suppress the screens and automatically restart the server (if required), use the /qn switch.

Silent installation that uses custom settings

To run a silent installation that uses custom settings, use the parameters that are documented in the following table.

For example, to run a silent installation by using custom proxy settings, run the following command:

msiexec /i StorageSyncAgent_V4_WS2016.msi USE_CUSTOM_PROXY_SETTINGS=1 PROXY_ADDRESS=10.0.0.1 PROXY_PORT=80 PROXY_AUTHREQUIRED_FLAG=1 PROXY_USERNAME=username PROXY_PASSWORD=password /qb /l*v AFSInstaller.log

For example, to run a silent installation by using an unattend answer file, run the following command:

msiexec /i StorageSyncAgent_V4_WS2016.msi UNATTEND_ANSWER_FILE=c:\agent\unattend.ini /qb /l*v AFSInstaller.log

The unattend answer file should have the following format:

ACCEPTEULA=1
ENABLE_AZUREFILESYNC_FEATURE=1
AGENTINSTALLDIR=%SYSTEMDRIVE%\Program Files\Azure\StorageSyncAgent
ENABLE_MU_ENROLL=1
ENABLE_DATA_COLLECTION=1
ENABLE_AGENT_UPDATE_POSTINSTALL=1
USE_CUSTOM_PROXY_SETTINGS=1
PROXY_ADDRESS=10.0.0.1
PROXY_PORT=80
PROXY_AUTHREQUIRED_FLAG=1
PROXY_USERNAME=username
PROXY_PASSWORD=password

Azure File Sync Agent Installation Parameters

Parameter	Purpose	Values	Default Value
ACCEPTEULA	Azure File Sync license agreement	0 (Not accepted) 1 (Accepted)	1
ENABLE_AZUREFILESYNC_FEATURE	Azure File Sync feature installation option	0 (Do not install) 1 (Install)	1
AGENTINSTALLDIR	Agent installation directory	Local Path	%SYSTEMDRIVE%\Program Files\Azure\StorageSyncAgent
ENABLE_MU_ENROLL	Enroll in Microsoft Update	0 (Do not enroll) 1 (Enroll)	1
ENABLE_DATA_COLLECTION	Collect data necessary to identify and fix problems	0 (No) 1 (Yes)	1
ENABLE_AGENT_UPDATE_POSTINSTALL	Check for updates after agent installation completes	0 (No) 1 (Yes)	1
USE_CUSTOM_PROXY_SETTINGS	Use default proxy settings (if configured) or custom proxy settings	0 (Default Proxy) 1 (Custom Proxy)	0
PROXY_ADDRESS	Proxy server IP address	IP Address
PROXY_PORT	Proxy server port number	Port Number
PROXY_AUTHREQUIRED_FLAG	Proxy server requires credentials	0 (No) 1 (Yes)
PROXY_USERNAME	User name used for authentication	Username
PROXY_PASSWORD	Password used for authentication	Password
UNATTEND_ANSWER_FILE	Use unattend answer file	Path

References

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