From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S1030490AbXBLXcM (ORCPT ); Mon, 12 Feb 2007 18:32:12 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S1030492AbXBLXcM (ORCPT ); Mon, 12 Feb 2007 18:32:12 -0500 Received: from enyo.dsw2k3.info ([195.71.86.239]:49527 "EHLO enyo.dsw2k3.info" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1030490AbXBLXcL (ORCPT ); Mon, 12 Feb 2007 18:32:11 -0500 Message-ID: <45D0F8EE.7020604@citd.de> Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2007 00:31:58 +0100 From: Matthias Schniedermeyer User-Agent: Icedove 1.5.0.9 (X11/20061220) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: "Martin A. Fink" Cc: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Subject: Re: SATA-performance: Linux vs. FreeBSD References: <200702121502.17130.fink@mpe.mpg.de> <200702121727.17108.fink@mpe.mpg.de> <200702121856.29729.fink@mpe.mpg.de> In-Reply-To: <200702121856.29729.fink@mpe.mpg.de> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Martin A. Fink wrote: > I have to store big amounts of data coming from 2 digital cameras to disk. > Thus I have to write blocks of around 1 MB at 30 to 50 frames per second for > a long period of time. So it is important for me that the harddisk drive is > reliable in the sense of "if it is capable of 50 MB/s then it should operate > at this speed. Constantly." The good old handful of suggestions: - Use a dedicated disc for the task. - Use an empty disc so there is no fragmentation. - Buy a bigger disk, they have high bandwidths. - Buy a more "specialized" disc. for e.x.: Western Digital Raptor X(*) a 150GB, 10-KRPM S-ATA disc. - Buy several discs and use RAID 0 or alternate between discs when writing. - use XFS. AFAIK XFS has about the best "large file" and "high bandwidth" characteristics. - that with XFS you can preallocate the files doesn't seem relevant in this case. It's more for the case that you write several files simultaneously over a longer period of time. - Write to one large file and separate the individual files later. if you are sure that you don't get a power-failure: - Disable Write-Barriers, especially on a logging-filesystem. - Enable write-caching. (hdparm doesn't appear to be able to do that with a SATA-disc, but blktool appears to be able to) The later has a good chance of corrupting your filesystem when you do get a power-failure!!! *: I don't think you want something from the server-line, SCSI/FibreChannel/...? IIRC i read a something about the first 100MB/s disc with in the 15-KRPM league. Bis denn -- Real Programmers consider "what you see is what you get" to be just as bad a concept in Text Editors as it is in women. No, the Real Programmer wants a "you asked for it, you got it" text editor -- complicated, cryptic, powerful, unforgiving, dangerous.