RE: IFS vs Windows file serving

I've also found here in my testing that NETSERVER does not perform as
well as native windows sharing.  By taking a test box, minimizing what
is running on the iSeries (ODBC, HTTP, CA/400, etc.), and changing the
runtime characteristics of the QZLSERVER and QZLSFILE jobs I think I had
a machine that simulated the characteristics of most file servers.  The
iSeries was still slower but in almost all cases the difference was
<20%.  However, as normal workload is in place the difference became
much greater. 40% to 50% was typical with a decent number of tests
exceeding 50%.  Given the general purpose nature of the machine I would
expect this.  So we normally only use the iSeries for file serving when
it makes sense with the application.  Definitely do not use it for
normal end user functions.

Testing was done at V5R3.

Interestingly enough, we have a Websphere Portal partition that we do
some basic 'document management' functions where the end user uses the
iSeries as a file server through a Portlet.  It made sense from the
application and command and control functions.  Rudimentary testing has
shown a 10% to 20% degradation.  Better than expected and in most cases
somewhat transparent to the end user.  This partition does nothing but
run portal but is at V5R3 and most other functions are available and no
tweaking has been made to optimize the performance.  I haven't had time
to investigate and since it is better than I expected I'm not very
worried - it's getting moved to a P5+ system and V5R4 at some point this
year.  I'll probably test again at that point.

My opinion is that you can use it but should do so sparingly -
especially if your system or partition are being used for other
functions.  I actually use the iSeries as my file server but that's
because I control my storage usage and not some xxxxxxx xxxxxx PC/LAN
weenie.  I'm comfortable with the performance but definitely would not
brag about it.

Michael Crump
 
Manager, Computing Services
Saint-Gobain Containers, Inc.
1509 S. Macedonia Ave.
Muncie, IN  47302
765.741.7696
765.741.7012 f 

Arrogance
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-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of rob@xxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2007 1:11 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: Re: IFS vs Windows file serving

My experience has been that the i does a poor performance job of serving

IFS files.  And I am not talking about just QDLS jobs.  In fact if you
use 
the same disk drives, but serve up the access using an IXS, or iSCSI
card, 
then they'll serve up much better.  Granted, my time trials were prior
to 
V5R4 and I believe that somewhere in there it boasted of it's
performance 
increase for NetServer.


Rob Berendt