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Multi-Client SMB Performance
The multi-client test is straightforward, even though it's complicated to configure and run. We use 120 real gigabit Ethernet ports from hosts that run custom software. Each system runs a trace-based test recorded from Microsoft Office. This mimics a real office environment where no single machine pushes the performance limits of the NAS. But as the number of clients increases, so does the load. Consequently, this benchmark is a real challenge for all NAS products. Many of the operations are random in nature, and even the sequential portions become random as the number of clients increases. Systems needs to be efficient with multiple streams to do well.
The first chart shows total throughput performance, while the second shows latency. We feel that the latency test carries more weight since it has a direct relationship with the user experience in this large office environment. Thecus' N5810 Pro performs particularly well thanks to its host processor and file system.
System administrators can optimize the stripe level of the array to deliver a better experience. Not all NAS products allow users to adjust this, so its availability is notable on the N5810 Pro. We used the default 64KB setting to get balanced performance with random and sequential data.
