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Status Not under consideration
Workspace IBM i
Categories Networking
Created by Guest
Created on Jul 16, 2021

IBM i - Improve NFS performance on 632B device and allow Jumbo Frames

When reading or saving data to/from NFS server on any NFS server performance is slow if we use MOUNT command, but we can use Jumbo Frames to mitigate.

When using STRNETINS or trying to backup to a virtual optical 632B device connected to NFS server the performance is much slower.

On our tests using DD we could write 2GB in 9 to 32 seconds using mount (no jumbo frames on IBM Cloud PowerVS) , but when trying to backup to the same system using our 632B device the write speed was 1GB per minute.

Maybe a new parameter to improve Wsize, Rsize and Jumbo_Frames on "Service Tools Server LAN Adapter" could improve performance.


Use Case:

This improvemente could allow a good backup mechanism using native commands on cloud environments (IBM Power Virtual Server).


Idea priority Medium
  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Jan 31, 2022

    Any chance we can have something like this on IBM i?

    https://sudssm.medium.com/we-improved-nfs-performance-by-50x-with-one-weird-trick-9a413b17a17f

  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Dec 30, 2021

    The ability to enable jumbo frames for IPv4 on the service LAN adapter already exists. If no performance gain is seen by enabling it, there is nothing more that can be turned. IBM does not believe that a parameter for the NFS rsize and wsize would impact performance because NFS already automatically negotiates the NFS rsize and wsize with the NFS server and uses the largest safe value for the transport and server conditions. IBM does not intend to investigate a solution to this request any further due to other higher priority requirements, so it is being closed.

  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Nov 30, 2021

    The point is: NFS Performance when TCP is down is really poor. NFS on Service Tools LAN Adapter can't be tunned , and NFS server is really slow compared with Linux on same hardware.

    We have tried on PowerVS , where LAN (Prívate Network) connections are really fast.

    We have performed some tests and when using 632B Device on IPL or GO SAVE 21 transfer rate drops.

    Writing to NFS Server on IBM i is also slow.

  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Nov 30, 2021

    Hello,
    Thank you for taking the time to submit this request. We evaluated the request and ran some tests internally and did not see a performance gain when jumbo frames were enabled on the service LAN adapter. However, the ability to enable jumbo frames for IPv4 already exists, are you willing to see if you have different results on your system?

    We do not believe that a parameter for the NFS rsize and wsize would impact performance because NFS already automatically negotiates the NFS rsize and wsize with the NFS server and uses the largest safe value for the transport and server conditions.

  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Nov 22, 2021

    IBM has received the requirement and is evaluating it. IBM will provide a response after evaluation is complete.

  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Nov 17, 2021

    Due to processing by IBM, this request was reassigned to have the following updated attributes:
    Brand - Servers and Systems Software
    Product family - Power Systems
    Product - IBM i
    Component - Networking
    Operating system - IBM i
    Source - None

    For recording keeping, the previous attributes were:
    Brand - Servers and Systems Software
    Product family - Power Systems
    Product - IBM i
    Component - Save, Restore
    Operating system - IBM i
    Source - None