Need Help improving Write Speeds

[Fordy]

Hey Guys,

I got around to finishing my NAS Build yesterday. I have then started transferring some of my files on to my windows share. The problem I am having is that the transfer speed from my Windows 7 PC is TO the FreeNAS Box is SLOW. When I am transferring a 7GB image from my pc to the NAS, I'm getting 10MB/s - 20MB/s transfer speeds according to the windows box that pops up when copy/transferring files. Since I'm using a windows pc this is all under CIFS.

My PC and the freeNAS are directly connected via CAT5e into the LAN ports on my TP-Link AC1200 Router.

Windows PC Spec:
CPU: AMD Phenom x4
MOBO: ASRock 870 Extreme3

freeNAS Specs:
CPU: AMD A6-3650 APU
MOBO: ASRock A75 Pro4/MVP
RAM: 2 x 8GB =16GB
STORAGE: 4 x 1TB WD Green Drives

Router
I have done a lot of reading about this but I still have yet to resolve my problem. I have already added
ea support = no
store dos attributes = no
map archive = no
map hidden = no
map readonly = no
map system = no
to the Auxiliary Parameters of CIFS settings but it didn't really do anything to the slow write speed.

I don't see anything else hardware wise that could prevent me from getting much faster transfer speeds. Since I basically have a GigNetwork - 2 pcs have gig LAN and router is also gig ports.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Fordy

 

[zambanini]

use a real switch and test again

 

[HoneyBadger]

I assume the read speeds are normal since you're calling out the poor write speed specifically?

 

[Fordy]

use a real switch and test again

I could try that out. Just a plain gigabyte switch?

I assume the read speeds are normal since you're calling out the poor write speed specifically?

Honestly I haven't really tested the read speeds since all I was doing was transferring all my important files over to the NAS. I haven't really done some heavy reading out of it but I'm assuming that it's fine. Might be wrong. Like I said haven't gotten to that point yet.

 

[HoneyBadger]

If you have a regular gigabit switch that would definitely eliminate the potential of the router ASIC to be the bottleneck.

If read speeds are OK then it might be your network card on that board; AMD gear doesn't have the best FreeBSD support historically.

That's also a non-ECC setup you've got, so my usual disclaimer of "don't put anything on there you can't afford to lose" applies.

 

[Fordy]

If you have a regular gigabit switch that would definitely eliminate the potential of the router ASIC to be the bottleneck.

If read speeds are OK then it might be your network card on that board; AMD gear doesn't have the best FreeBSD support historically.

That's also a non-ECC setup you've got, so my usual disclaimer of "don't put anything on there you can't afford to lose" applies.

Thanks for your input. I'll try and place them on a gigabit switch and will report back in here. I'm only using this as a home file backup storage, and while I do understand that my setup is a non-ECC, my thinking is I think my files are better off in the freeNAS with ZFS2 than just on my pc's hard drive. Least I have 2 drive redundancy on the ZFS2 system on the NAS.

 

[Bidule0hm]

Actually I'd say ZFS without ECC RAM is worse than a classic RAID card, see the ECC/non-ECC RAM thread (link is my signature) to understand why.

 

[cyberjock]

Actually I'd say ZFS without ECC RAM is worse than a classic RAID card, see the ECC/non-ECC RAM thread (link is my signature) to understand why.

+1

 

[Ericloewe]

Ar-Tee-Ell-Eight-One-One-One

^
Easily the number one cause of bad performance on this forum.

 

[Fordy]

With you all's I have found the problem of my bad write performance.

Since somebody recommended that I use a gigabit switch, I got one plugged in my pc and the NAS box the switch. Then I tried copying a 7GB image. It actually was getting the same speed as when I had it hooked up at the router's lan ports. And suddenly to my surprise, it actually started going downhill from there. I was getting 10MB/s then it went to 8-7-4... It got so bad that it actually crashed my pc a few times when I was trying to copy some of the big files over.

So I used a network speed test program, to see if it was my NIC. They both tested fine. I tried transferring 2GB from C drive to my storage D drive. My pc kept locking up and I think it did crash at one point. Did some research and found that I might be the southbridge. I said that can't be it so I did a HD error check using WD program since I have WD HD's. C drive tested fine. My local storage D drive on the other hand, had so many bad sectors. I used the windows drive error check tool and had it try to fix the drive. Now currently I'm getting 40-70MB/s which is tolerable imo.

My question is. Lets say that I get the perfect network components, what should be the best speed that I would see when coping files over to the nas? I'd like to break 100MB/s speed if that's possible.

Ar-Tee-Ell-Eight-One-One-One

^
Easily the number one cause of bad performance on this forum.

What would be your suggestion for a good NIC for this application?

 

[Bidule0hm]

Intel NICs are great ;)

NB: you can't fix a drive that has bad sectors, you need to replace it.

 

[gpsguy]

We highly recommend an Intel Pro/1000 CT NIC. Cost for on OEM version is about $ 30 USD.


Sent from my phone

 

[Fordy]

Actually I'd say ZFS without ECC RAM is worse than a classic RAID card, see the ECC/non-ECC RAM thread (link is my signature) to understand why.

I just read your post about ECC vs non-ECC RAM. If I had seen this before I built my system then I would have taken that advice and built a ECC NAS box. Also, so any Intel NIC would do? And yes, can't fix a failing drive, I'm trying to get all my files off of my storage drive and into the NAS since the NAS is the only one that can hold that much files. Its a 1TB drive.

 

[Bidule0hm]

Even the crappiest Intel NIC will be orders of magnitude better than the best Realtek NIC, so yes, any Intel NIC will be ok :)

 

[gpsguy]

I wouldn't go as far as saying "any Intel". Don't use a PCI NIC. IIRC the GT series is PCI, not PCI/e.


Sent from my phone

 

[Bidule0hm]

Yep, I forgot the PCI/PCIe thing ;)

 

[Fordy]

I'll probably get Intel Pro/1000 CT NIC since that's supposedly the recommended NIC around here, and saw the amount of positive feedback from users that bought it. Now, once I set everything up like scrubs, SMART, and backups/snapshots, I'll have to address some of the other problems and possibly have to ask you guys who knows more than I am with freeNAS.

Thanks Everyone for all the input and help.