File copy performance in Windows (SMB)

[Rubycon]

Why is SMB so slow?

Server and workstation have all GBIT connections with all hardware capable of jumbo packet support. Server has FTP and performance will hit 960Mbps. Best explorer copy performance is 400Mbps! Why is it so much slower?

 

[Nothinman]

SMB/CIFS has a decent amount of overhead compared to FTP which will make more and more of a difference as network speeds get faster, although I didn't think FTP would be 2.5x faster yet. It's also possible that Explorer is part of the problem, have you tried copying the files with something else?

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: Nothinman
SMB/CIFS has a decent amount of overhead compared to FTP which will make more and more of a difference as network speeds get faster, although I didn't think FTP would be 2.5x faster yet. It's also possible that Explorer is part of the problem, have you tried copying the files with something else?

I've run ATTO disk benchmark to the shared drive and once the test block hits 32KB the network utilization goes to 90+ %.

 

[Modelworks]

I just did a test with a 100Mbit connect and the transfer was about 9MB/sec for a smb share.

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: Modelworks
I just did a test with a 100Mbit connect and the transfer was about 9MB/sec for a smb share.

Yes I never had a problem in 100mbit realm but gig-E is much worse.

 

[Nothinman]

I've run ATTO disk benchmark to the shared drive and once the test block hits 32KB the network utilization goes to 90+ %.

And?

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

I've run ATTO disk benchmark to the shared drive and once the test block hits 32KB the network utilization goes to 90+ %.

And?

It proves there is no hardware problem. The speed in this case was limited by the network interface (as it should be) - both source and target have storage systems capable of 800MB/S sustained transfer rates. Copying with explorer is much slower typically by 1/3. When you're copying 100's of GB's it becomes very noticeable.

 

[Nothinman]

Which is why I asked if you tried copying with something other than explorer...