From owner-freebsd-performance@FreeBSD.ORG Thu Mar 6 02:07:38 2008 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-performance@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id BDEFD106566C for ; Thu, 6 Mar 2008 02:07:38 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from alan.bryan@yahoo.com) Received: from web50511.mail.re2.yahoo.com (web50511.mail.re2.yahoo.com [206.190.39.240]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with SMTP id 74E278FC1D for ; Thu, 6 Mar 2008 02:07:38 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from alan.bryan@yahoo.com) Received: (qmail 56752 invoked by uid 60001); 6 Mar 2008 02:07:36 -0000 DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; q=dns; c=nofws; s=s1024; d=yahoo.com; h=X-YMail-OSG:Received:Date:From:Subject:To:In-Reply-To:MIME-Version:Content-Type:Content-Transfer-Encoding:Message-ID; b=Rs7GnHgYXhlHlQEVvo9rozuO+tbdGU32zkimJ0qoIg4tbqNFn6TI/FTNoZhQXZXDwsinuQQvtCKiS2eRSTD+nwby467bn2j32ZoqxW23AcYamQGbV64WM0n05RYks56zx0I0ysWT6LyTKdGLSo2ZRhHMsAXnSp/L4UwVifXpgQw=; X-YMail-OSG: 1zdkpiEVM1mBQcV4qAv7xct.gosg6csRT77kMrBG Received: from [76.91.101.96] by web50511.mail.re2.yahoo.com via HTTP; Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:07:36 PST Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2008 18:07:36 -0800 (PST) From: alan bryan To: freebsd-performance@freebsd.org In-Reply-To: <96374.85181.qm@web50511.mail.re2.yahoo.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Message-ID: <857138.52972.qm@web50511.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Subject: Re: 7.0-Release and 3ware 9550SXU w/BBU - horrible write performance X-BeenThere: freebsd-performance@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Performance/tuning List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 06 Mar 2008 02:07:38 -0000 --- alan bryan wrote: > > --- alan bryan wrote: > > > Hi, > > > > I've got a new server with a 3ware 9550SXU with > the > > Battery. I am using FreeBSD 7.0-Release (tried > both > > 4BSD and ULE) using AMD64 and the 3ware > performance > > for writes is just plain horrible. Something is > > obviously wrong but I'm not sure what. > > > > I've got a 4 disk RAID 10 array. > > > > According to 3dm2 the cache is on. I even tried > > setting The StorSave preference to "Performance" > > with > > no real benefit. There seems to be something > really > > wrong with disk performance. So, all of this seems to be due to the Battery unit. What seems to be happening is that if the battery isn't fully charged the write cache get disabled. So, when I was testing and removing the card, changing cabling, etc... with the server powered off the battery would get ever so slightly discharged and then when booting back up the server has the cache off until it gets topped back up again. Thus, I was seeing weird inconsistent results all over the place. I had to move the BBU and disconnected it for a few minutes and then turned the server back on. When it came back up 3dm2 reporting that the BBU was charging and that write cache was off. Once recharged (15 min or so) the cache was turned back on. This could be really bad in a loaded server if you have to down it for a few min service window and then boot back up and the write cache is then off. I found that I could log into 3dm2 and change the StorSave profile to "Performance" which would then enable the cache again (it ignores whether you have the BBU). Then once the battery is charged you can go back to "Balanced" profile. Guess the lesson learned is make sure the server has been powered up for 24hrs and battery fully charged before doing any tests against this 3ware card. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ