Multi-Client Access - NAS Environment

We configured three of the WD Red Pro drives in a RAID-5 volume in the QNAP TS-EC1279U-SAS-RP. A CIFS share in the volume was subject to some IOMeter tests with access from up to 25 VMs simultaneously. The following four graphs show the total available bandwidth and the average response time while being subject to different types of workloads through IOMeter. IOMeter also reports various other metrics of interest such as maximum response time, read and write IOPS, separate read and write bandwidth figures etc. Some of the interesting aspects from our IOMeter benchmarking run are available here.

WD Red Pro Multi-Client CIFS Performance - 100% Sequential Reads

 

WD Red Pro Multi-Client CIFS Performance - Max Throughput - 50% Sequential Reads

 

WD Red Pro Multi-Client CIFS Performance - Random 8K - 70% Reads

 

WD Red Pro Multi-Client CIFS Performance - Real Life - 60% Random 65% Reads

We see that the sequential accesses are still limited by the network link, but, this time, on the NAS side. The 100% sequential reads show similar results for all the drives. However, the WD Red Pro shows the best stability under stress from multiple clients for the 50% sequential reads / 50% sequential writes test. On the other hand, the Random 8K 70% reads sequence for the WD Red Pro show better numbers compared to the WD Red, but can't compete with the numbers from the other 6 TB drives. The 60% Random / 65% Reads sequence shows the WD Red Pro in better light compared to the WD Red and the HGST Deskstar NAS, but the other drives show consistently better numbers.

Single Client Access - NAS Benchmarks RAID-5 Benchmarking - Miscellaneous Aspects
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  • Souka - Tuesday, September 8, 2015 - link

    It would be even louder with four of these WD Red Pro drives!
  • nagi603 - Monday, October 5, 2015 - link

    The problem might also lie with your NAS: insufficient decoupling will lead to very nasty vibration, as is insufficient dampening or the use of not stiff enough components.
  • beginner99 - Tuesday, September 8, 2015 - link

    Well with the Pro only $33 more it's a no brainer. The 5 years warranty alone will make that a profitable investment alone.
  • Visual - Tuesday, September 8, 2015 - link

    Important details are missing from the article. It should be the first thing covered for drives of such capacities - make it clear if they are using a shingled write method requiring rewrites of large blocks for small random writes.
  • Morawka - Tuesday, September 8, 2015 - link

    anyone remember when all seagate consumer drives had 5 year warranties.. it was great. now we are lucky to get a 3 year warranty.
  • FunBunny2 - Tuesday, September 8, 2015 - link

    planned obsolescence is a wonderful thing. just ask Apple.
  • star-affinity - Tuesday, September 8, 2015 - link

    In what way is Apple worse than others when it comes to ”planned obsolescence”?
  • valinor89 - Tuesday, September 8, 2015 - link

    As far as I know Apple was the first mass consumer company to embrace the practice. Or at least the best known for it. Usually gadgets of other companyes were expected to be superceeded by advancing technology, not designed to fail after x time... One of the most famous examples was the Ipod Nano case.

    The practice existed before but apple put it in the spotlight.
  • Gigaplex - Sunday, September 13, 2015 - link

    Apple is rarely the first to do anything. They certainly weren't the first to embrace planned obsolescence.
  • Hannibal80 - Tuesday, September 8, 2015 - link

    Why not moving to a 10gbe for the nas test? I think that for a soho scenario could make sense, with a direct 10gb connection between workstation and nas and classic 1gb link among remaining clients. Just my 2 cents

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