[rescue] Sun 711

[Chris Byrne]

90-95 out of 120 theoretical max is just under 80%, which is the rate I
predicted for good quality equipment. A 3 channel card that performs up to
that rate is doing an excellent job. I would have guessed you be closer to
75-80 MB/s/. Also that your PCI bus can push that much through surprises me
especially with the relatively small cache.

Just one question, how are you deriving that number? I'm not doubting you I
just want to know your testing method and software for future reference.
Personally I tend to use IOZone and Bonnie for UNIX and IOMeter for windows
(yeah I know IOMeter has issues), and I tend to do large numbers of test
runs with variable parameters (file sizes, chunk sizes, record size, cache
flushes etc...) I guess I'm just a cynic when it comes to benchmark numbers.
I always expect (and often get) the worst ;-)

As to the SmartArray, any experience with them? I've used some older model
stuff (Its been a few months since I've worked with any Compaq gear in a
meaningful way, and maybe a year since I've dealt with Compaq RAID at all)
but none of their newer gear.

Chris Byrne.




> -----Original Message-----
> From: rescue-admin at sunhelp.org [mailto:rescue-admin at sunhelp.org]On
> Behalf Of George Adkins
> Sent: 02 May 2002 04:53
> To: rescue at sunhelp.org
> Subject: Re: [rescue] Sun 711
>
>
> > Actually I've found that multichannel controllers in general use less of
> > their maximum throughput per channel than do single channel controllers.
> > I've tested MTI, Mylex, adaptec, DPT and other brands before and it has
> > proved true for all of them. That may be just because a single 32/33 or
> > 64/66 PCI slot doesnt provide for enough bandwidth to
> effecitvely utilize
> > all the channels however.
> >
> The 3 channel UltraWide AMI that I have pretty much saturates a
> 32/33 PCI bus
> when it runs full out.  2 each 7200RPM/U160 drives per channel (6 total)
> pushes ~90-95 MB/Sec sustained at Raid 0. (4 meg caches on the
> drives IIRC
> and 32 Meg cache on the controller.)  And that's three 40MB/sec channels.
>
>
>
> > On the PCI-X issue, that's great. Now are there high quality HBA's that
> > support 64 bit 133mhz? I havent seen any yet, but if so than I'm all for
> > them. I can't wait to get my hands on one to test if nothing else.
> >
> Compaq SmartArray 5312.  Dual channel, but the bus should support all the
> bandwidth that two of them can generate.
>
> George
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