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How do you test and benchmark FC throughput and IOPS?

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SAN performance tuning is a crucial task for any storage administrator who wants to optimize the performance and reliability of their storage area network (SAN). In this article, we will focus on Fibre Channel (FC) SANs, which are widely used for high-speed data transfer and low-latency applications. We will explain how to test and benchmark FC throughput and IOPS, which are two key metrics for measuring SAN performance. We will also provide some tips and best practices for improving FC SAN performance.

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1 What are FC throughput and IOPS?

FC throughput and IOPS are two common ways of measuring the speed and efficiency of a SAN. FC throughput is the amount of data that can be transferred over a FC link in a given time, usually expressed in megabytes per second (MB/s) or gigabits per second (Gbps). FC IOPS, or input/output operations per second, is the number of read and write requests that can be processed by a SAN device in a given time, usually expressed in thousands or millions. Both metrics depend on several factors, such as the FC protocol, the FC link speed, the SAN configuration, the workload type, and the performance of the storage devices.

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Bill Basinas

Sr. Director Product Marketing - Infinidat
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FC throughput and IOPS are still fairly subjective pieces to overall performance. The server architecture has a lot to do with how fast data may or may not get pushed across the line to the switch and thus to the storage. Storage devices today typically can provide all the IOPS needed for a workload or if well architected multiple consolidated workloads. Today, the real measure of performance is really latency. It starts at the storage and then needs to be measured in time back to the application host. It doesn't matter how much throughput your FC channel gives you or how many IOPS your storage can give you if something is introducing latency in the life of that I/O, that will be a big reason performance is probably lacking overall.

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2 How to test FC throughput and IOPS?

To test and benchmark FC throughput and IOPS, you need to use a performance testing tool that can generate and measure FC traffic. There are many tools available, both commercial and open source, that can perform FC performance testing. Some examples are Iometer, FIO, Vdbench, Diskspd, and SANBlaze. These tools allow you to create different types of workloads, such as sequential or random, read or write, or mixed, and vary the block size, queue depth, and number of threads. You can also specify the FC target and initiator devices, the FC port speed, and the FC zone settings. The tools will then generate FC traffic and report the FC throughput and IOPS results.

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3 How to interpret FC throughput and IOPS results?

To interpret FC throughput and IOPS results, you need to compare them with the expected or baseline values for your FC SAN. You can use the FC link speed as a reference point for the maximum possible FC throughput. For example, a 16 Gbps FC link can theoretically achieve a maximum throughput of 1.6 GB/s, but in reality, it will be lower due to protocol overhead, latency, and other factors. You can also use the performance specifications of your storage devices as a reference point for the maximum possible FC IOPS. For example, a solid-state drive (SSD) can typically deliver more IOPS than a hard disk drive (HDD), but it will also depend on the block size, queue depth, and workload type. You should also consider the performance requirements of your applications and users, and compare them with the actual FC throughput and IOPS results.

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4 How to improve FC throughput and IOPS?

To optimize FC throughput and IOPS, you need to identify and address any potential bottlenecks that may be affecting your FC SAN performance. Factors such as FC link speed, FC zoning, FC queue depth, and FC block size can all influence the throughput and IOPS. Utilizing the highest possible link speed that your devices support, such as 8 Gbps, 16 Gbps, or 32 Gbps is recommended. Additionally, using single-initiator zoning will reduce contention and interference between different FC traffic streams. Adjusting the queue depth to match the characteristics of your workload and storage devices is also important to find the optimal balance of throughput, IOPS, and latency. Lastly, choosing the appropriate block size for your workload and storage devices will help maximize the FC throughput and IOPS.

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Robert Bowman

Retired
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IOPS and throughput, in practice, are inversely proportional. Database queries are generally of small block size. While streaming video is of large block size. By decreasing block size (the size of the FC frame payload) IOPS will increase, but throughput will decrease and vice versa. So, small block size will be better for database queries, and large block size will be better for streaming. Queue Depth refers to the number of commands (such as SCSI) an Initiator (server) or Target (storage) will hold before its execution. If this value is exceeded, timeout conditions can occur. This can be important when dealing with serial Targets, such as tape drives and libraries.

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5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How do you test and benchmark FC throughput and IOPS?

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1 What are FC throughput and IOPS?

2 How to test FC throughput and IOPS?

3 How to interpret FC throughput and IOPS results?

4 How to improve FC throughput and IOPS?

5 Here’s what else to consider

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