NAS Software Reviews - Your input is wanted!

[Jmtyra]

Am I looking at this right? Is the base server seriously running circles around FreeNAS?

 

[Automata]

Am I looking at this right? Is the base server seriously running circles around FreeNAS?

I would use the word "destroying", but yes, the performance is quite less. Remember that the base server is my actual file server, which is running a full blown hardware RAID card and nine (slow) drives in RAID 6. It will gain speed from the RAID controller and lose a bit due to the hard drives I'm using (5k3000 5300 RPM) and RAID 6. The test server is running 8 drives in Z1 (~RAID 5) ZFS pool. When I get to the mdadm on CentOS comparison, we will see how it stacks up -- which is the configuration I'm more interested in.

 

[Neuromancer]

Supposed to be working but had to view results

Oh.. took me a couple of re-reads but I get it now.

FreeNAS is a software RAID. and apparently an ineffective one. LOL

I know your list suggested a few software solutions, like WHS.. I think it would be interesting to note whether you let WHS handle the RAID or you do it physically. dual RAID5s with a WHS mirror versus a RAID6, or RAID5+1 array. not that you have to go that detailed just say which you are using . I do not know how FreeNAS works I assume the same, all those details should go into your final report at least. thanks man.


your charts are indepth I think maybe for the grand finale. just say 4K 64K and 1MB file size. We can look through each result for various file sizes, but a single chart to show overall performance of all software tested would be easier. (maybe you already thought of that )

Oh and do the tests for 1-4 threads since it apparent they don't like multi-threading except reading, and it will cut down your test time. So you can spend more time swapping NAS OSes . You have a bunch to do after all.

 

[Automata]

It would be very time consuming to test different setups for WHS and it wouldn't be comparable to existing runs. The tests are run with all eight drives in a RAID 5 (or the closest I can get) array. I also don't have a [spare] hardware RAID controller to do complicated arrays. I think this card only does 0/1/5/10.

I plan to not include the charts in the final review directly, but instead link to the post containing the "official" performance graphs in this thread. Otherwise, I'm going to have a ton of graphs. I also firmly believe that if I put them up, people would skip right to the performance section, look at the graphs, and ignore the review. In the case of FreeNAS, they would see it compares "poorly" to the base server and not use it. Basically, I want people to read the whole review to decide whether it is what they need.

Oh and do the tests for 1-4 threads since it apparent they don't like multi-threading except reading, and it will cut down your test time. So you can spend more time swapping NAS OSes . You have a bunch to do after all.

I like this idea a lot. I'm thinking of dropping it down to 16 or 32 queue depth. That would halve the time required to run the tests. None of the tests really changed much after 16/32 in the queue.

 

[Automata]

I've been very busy with work and will continue to be for the next few weeks. Since I don't feel like having my desktop system sitting in Windows all the time, I'm going to dedicate a system to sit near the rack and do the testing for me. I'll make sure that the different system provides the same numbers as my desktop.

FreeNAS is nearly complete for performance, but the 1M tests seem to be very inconsistent for it. The base server is done testing and I've attached all the files related to it, including the raw output from IOMeter. The queue depth has been limited to half of what I was doing before (1, 2, 4, 8, 16). I've also found that unless I run a test a ton of times, I'm not going to get within 5% of other tests in every case. So, I'm going to rerun tests when I feel the performance is lower than it should be, instead of trying to get the numbers perfect.

 

[Automata]

For those who have access to the front page Wordpress, I'm writing the methodology.

http://www.overclockers.com/?p=47544&preview=true

This is not taking as long as I thought, but I need to finalize some of the tests before I can get it posted. Shouldn't be long, though.

 

[Dougal1957]

I keep forgetting to mention this, but if someone have a spare computer or are using the software I'm reviewing, I would appreciate getting your opinions or experiences with it. No matter how vigorously I test, I can't test everything from every angle.

If you want to install it on a spare system, you wouldn't need to do the tests that I'm doing or have expensive hardware. Just your experiences with how it was to setup, configure, and use is valuable.

I am currently running Naslite with 8 x 2TB and 8 X 1 TB drives and also a Openindiana box with IBM1015 HBA and Intel SAS expander in Norco 4220 case with 12 x 1.5 TB drive currently.

Any help gratefully given.

Doug

 

[Automata]

I just submitted the methodology article for review. Shouldn't be too long before it gets posted.

I am currently running Naslite with 8 x 2TB and 8 X 1 TB drives and also a Openindiana box with IBM1015 HBA and Intel SAS expander in Norco 4220 case with 12 x 1.5 TB drive currently.

Any help gratefully given.

Doug

When I get to testing these, I'll try to send you a message. If you could, start making a list or write a paragraph or two (up to you) about it. I'll include a link in the review.

 

[peep]

Will be an interesting read, I quite recently built a VM lab at home and the choise of NAS software fell on Openfiler. Hardware wise I'm using an areca 1882i with an intel RES2SV240 expander card.

Another NAS software that has me tempted is Open-E DSS, but the high price of it puts me off (I got an offer for an "unlimited home user license" but it was still around £400). The lite version is to limiting in storage capacity.

Looking forward to the article!

/Tobias

 

[ziggo0]

thideras what's your opinion on freenas? I was thinking about switching to it from ubuntu/mdadm for freenas's ZFS.

 

[Automata]

It is good for what it does, I would recommend using it.

 

[Automata]

I was testing a server in the rack (to replace my desktop as the testbed) to find out that it is doing substantially (>3000%) better than my desktop. I've been trying to figure out why there was such a drastic difference when I found a problem with my internal network. I've got it fixed now, but I'm going to continue using a server since I wouldn't need to restart into Windows on my desktop computer (and subsequently lock me out of doing anything on it).

I have to do all the tests over again.

 

[Poppa Bear]

Sorry for the heartburn and thanks for the supreme effort as I'm lurking for the results.

Cheers!!

 

[Automata]

I've been very slowly working on the methodology article and re-running the tests from the Poweredge 2650. Since the server's results match my desktop, I'm going to stick with this setup. I'm trying to think of a way that I can pull hard drives from the server without either removing it from the rack or having to shut the server down. I looked around at hotswap hard drive bays for the 5.25" spots, but I can't find any reasonably priced ones.

 

[Automata]

Wow, this has been way too long since I've done anything on it. The new version of FreeNAS was just released, so I installed that to the server. The IOMeter file is building right now, which seems to be going a lot faster than it was on the previous version.

The methodology article is effectively complete unless I need to change one of the tests.

 

[Automata]

I'm writing the review for FreeNAS right now and I'm making pretty good progress. I've got the background/history and install/setup/configure done. Interface is currently being written, but I'm nearly done.

The tests are running again to make sure there are no difference between the old and new versions.

 

[Automata]

Ok, I have everything up to addons/features done, which puts me at 1564 words. I can't continue until the performance tests are done and I also need a quick way to disconnect two drives without having to remove the server from the rack. I'd also like a DVD drive so I don't have to keep using my laptop-sized one.

I'm going to look on Newegg for those now, so if anyone has suggestions for a good/cheap hot swap dual hard drive bay, I'm interested.

EDIT: I ordered an IcyDock and a DVD drive.

 

[Mpegger]

Give a person a chance to reply next time.

 

[Automata]

I was impatient and saw one I liked.

 

[Automata]

The Icy Dock arrived today and I have to admit, I'm quite impressed with the build quality. It sure seems worth the extra money. The whole unit feels solid, it doesn't use a crappy fan on the back (fairly sure it is a Delta), it takes SATA power instead of the standard molex, it has indicator lights, and the trays are mostly made of metal.