carcrusher
Dabbler
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2014
- Messages
- 11
Hi!
Finally I have almost everything for my first FreeNAS box. I started some testing, and the results wasn't really what I was expecting. The problem I think was NIC performance. Current server on debian sid and integrated NIC is much faster. So I started making some more tests (iperf), and here are the results:
http://1drv.ms/ZAhbft
http://1drv.ms/ZAhbft
short: the iperf measured bandwidth was over 200 Mbits on server mode and over 300 Mbits on client mode higher on integrated realtek NIC than on PCI intel pro/1000. The bandwidth was tested with machines under linux with integrated realtek and atheros NIC's. Sadly (or happily - in terms of money) I don't have second intel pro/1000 to compare (intel to intel).
the layout (tried also direct link - results were quite the same):
test machine:
pair I (originally for FreeNAS):
pair II:
I tried some 'network tunning' with sysctls but with no results. My conclusion is: If you are using realtek or atheros NIC's on your client machines then (based on iperf) maximum throughput will be notiecably better on integrated popular realtek NIC than on PCI intel pro/1000 GT. It looks like it was a waste of money, but in the end I learned that higher price and intel sticker does't always mean better/faster hardware.
In the defence of intel: I was also trying some atto benchmarks and intel was equal and sometimes marginally better on small transfer sizes. However it was compared only Freenas on lintel to linux on realtek [windows-atto --> FreeNAS+intel, windows-atto --> linux+RLT]. And linux looks a bit better than FreeBSD in terms of network speeds.
Next step: Think I'll buy some cheap (compared to intel) realtek based NIC. If anyone is interested in tests with it, I would be happy to make some (and maybe atto tests also).
And some questions and doubts ;)
Finally I have almost everything for my first FreeNAS box. I started some testing, and the results wasn't really what I was expecting. The problem I think was NIC performance. Current server on debian sid and integrated NIC is much faster. So I started making some more tests (iperf), and here are the results:
http://1drv.ms/ZAhbft
http://1drv.ms/ZAhbft
short: the iperf measured bandwidth was over 200 Mbits on server mode and over 300 Mbits on client mode higher on integrated realtek NIC than on PCI intel pro/1000. The bandwidth was tested with machines under linux with integrated realtek and atheros NIC's. Sadly (or happily - in terms of money) I don't have second intel pro/1000 to compare (intel to intel).
the layout (tried also direct link - results were quite the same):
Code:
test machine | | |--dlink--| | | pairI pairII
test machine:
- mobo: GIGABYTE on AMD785
- cpu: AMD Phenom II X4 965 (4x3.4GHz)
- ram: 2x4GB DDR3 1600 CL9 crucial
- NIC1: integrated Realtek 8111C
- NIC2: PCI intel pro/1000 GT
- os1: windows 7 home premium (up to date)
- os2: lubuntu linux 3.13
- os3: FreeNAS 9.2.1.8
pair I (originally for FreeNAS):
- mobo: ASUS on AMD760G
- cpu: AMD Athlon II X2 240e (2x2.8GHz)
- ram: 2x8GB DDR3 1600 CL11 kingston (ECC)
- NIC: integrated Atheros 8161/8171
- os: lubuntu linux 3.13
pair II:
- mobo: MSI on intel B75
- cpu: intel celeron G530 (2x2.4GHz)
- ram: 1x4GB DDR3 1600 CL9 kingston
- NIC: integrated Realtek 8111E
- os: debian linux sid 3.9
I tried some 'network tunning' with sysctls but with no results. My conclusion is: If you are using realtek or atheros NIC's on your client machines then (based on iperf) maximum throughput will be notiecably better on integrated popular realtek NIC than on PCI intel pro/1000 GT. It looks like it was a waste of money, but in the end I learned that higher price and intel sticker does't always mean better/faster hardware.
In the defence of intel: I was also trying some atto benchmarks and intel was equal and sometimes marginally better on small transfer sizes. However it was compared only Freenas on lintel to linux on realtek [windows-atto --> FreeNAS+intel, windows-atto --> linux+RLT]. And linux looks a bit better than FreeBSD in terms of network speeds.
Next step: Think I'll buy some cheap (compared to intel) realtek based NIC. If anyone is interested in tests with it, I would be happy to make some (and maybe atto tests also).
And some questions and doubts ;)
- Do you think iperf is sufficient for NIC benchmarking?
- What about benchmarking 'hard to send data' (not fitting MTU/a lot and small - don't know)?
- What about testing both directions the same time?
- Is it possible that PCI is limiting the NIC? Theoretically PCI is faster than GbE, but what about reality?