From owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Fri Jan 18 20:39:27 2013 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.FreeBSD.org [8.8.178.115]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 6E2E1427; Fri, 18 Jan 2013 20:39:27 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from wojtek@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl) Received: from wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl (wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl [188.252.31.196]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id CFBE26C4; Fri, 18 Jan 2013 20:39:26 +0000 (UTC) Received: from wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl (8.14.5/8.14.5) with ESMTP id r0IKdOf1013260; Fri, 18 Jan 2013 21:39:24 +0100 (CET) (envelope-from wojtek@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl) Received: from localhost (wojtek@localhost) by wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl (8.14.5/8.14.5/Submit) with ESMTP id r0IKdOQ5013257; Fri, 18 Jan 2013 21:39:24 +0100 (CET) (envelope-from wojtek@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl) Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2013 21:39:24 +0100 (CET) From: Wojciech Puchar To: Dieter BSD Subject: Re: IBM blade server abysmal disk write performances In-Reply-To: Message-ID: References: User-Agent: Alpine 2.00 (BSF 1167 2008-08-23) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed X-Greylist: Sender passed SPF test, not delayed by milter-greylist-4.2.7 (wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl [127.0.0.1]); Fri, 18 Jan 2013 21:39:24 +0100 (CET) Cc: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org, gibbs@freebsd.org, scottl@freebsd.org, mjacob@freebsd.org X-BeenThere: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.14 Precedence: list List-Id: Technical Discussions relating to FreeBSD List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2013 20:39:27 -0000 > > That is incorrect. A UPS reduces the risk, but does not eliminate it. nothing eliminate all risks. > But for most applications, you must have the write cache off, > and you need queuing (e.g. TCQ or NCQ) for performance. If > you have queuing, there is no need to turn the write cache > on. did you tested the above claim? i have SATA drives everywhere, all in ahci mode, all with NCQ active. > It is inexcusable that FreeBSD defaults to leaving the write cache on > for SATA & PATA drives. At least the admin can easily fix this by > adding hw.ata.wc=0 to /boot/loader.conf. The bigger problem is that > FreeBSD does not support queuing on all controllers that support it. i must be happy as i never had a case of not seeing adaX: Command Queueing enabled on my machines.