topic Re: Query: HP Proliant DL380 Gen 9 slow disk writes compared to DL380 Gen 10 in ProLiant Servers (ML,DL,SL)

HP Proliant DL380 Gen 9 slow disk writes compared to DL380 Gen 10

Keith Marciniak — Thu, 18 May 2023 10:51:31 GMT

Both servers are in a load balance group taking in identical load

Gen9 iostats (98% util and high await and 109 wMB/s)

05/16/2023 10:03:07 PM
avg-cpu: %user %nice %system %iowait %steal %idle
3.09 0.00 2.97 2.13 0.00 91.81

Device: rrqm/s wrqm/s r/s w/s rMB/s wMB/s avgrq-sz avgqu-sz await r_await w_await svctm %util
sda 0.00 0.00 0.00 16.00 0.00 0.32 41.50 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
sdb 0.00 69.00 0.00 88.00 0.00 109.86 2556.82 0.99 11.34 0.00 11.34 11.18 98.40
dm-0 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
dm-1 0.00 0.00 0.00 157.00 0.00 109.86 1433.12 2.52 16.08 0.00 16.08 6.27 98.40

Gen 10 (low wait times, low %util of 4% with approx same write load 112 wMB/s)

05/16/2023 10:03:13 PM
avg-cpu: %user %nice %system %iowait %steal %idle
2.68 0.00 0.83 0.00 0.00 96.49

Device: rrqm/s wrqm/s r/s w/s rMB/s wMB/s avgrq-sz avgqu-sz await r_await w_await svctm %util
sda 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
sdb 0.00 0.00 0.00 112.00 0.00 112.00 2048.00 0.06 0.58 0.00 0.58 0.36 4.00
dm-0 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
dm-1 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
dm-2 0.00 0.00 0.00 112.00 0.00 112.00 2048.00 0.07 0.58 0.00 0.58 0.37 4.10

Gen 9:

dual 2630v4 2.2 GHz 40 threads, 64GB RAM 2133mhz, P840 Raid controller RAID 5 , 6TB SAS 7200, 14 drives. latest avail firmware, 4MB cache enabled.

Gen10

dual core intel xeon silver 4114 2.2GHz, 40 threads, 64MB 2400Mhz, p816ia SR raid controller, raid 5, 6TB SAS 7200rpm, 4MB cache enabled.

As a test I was able to get 430 wMB/s at 15% utilization out of the Gen 10. But the Gen 9 is maxed out at 100 or os wMB/s for some reason. Are there any expected performance specs to see if my Gen 9 is up to par?

below is iostats at 430 wMB/s on the gen10. I wouldnt expect the performance to be 10X higher on gen10

05/15/2023 06:49:30 PM
avg-cpu: %user %nice %system %iowait %steal %idle
8.02 0.00 3.76 0.13 0.00 88.09

Device: rrqm/s wrqm/s r/s w/s rMB/s wMB/s avgrq-sz avgqu-sz await r_await w_await svctm %util
sda 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
sdb 0.00 0.00 0.00 404.00 0.00 404.00 2048.00 0.27 0.70 0.00 0.70 0.39 15.70
dm-0 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
dm-1 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
dm-2 0.00 0.00 0.00 404.00 0.00 404.00 2048.00 0.29 0.71 0.00 0.71 0.39 15.80

Here is the Gen9 raid controller settings, Gen10 is identical. The application is a pcap, packet capture server with mostly writes vs reads

ssacli ctrl all show config detail

Smart Array P840 in Slot 3
Bus Interface: PCI
Slot: 3
Serial Number: ***~~confidential info erased~~***
Cache Serial Number: ***~~confidential info erased~~***
RAID 6 (ADG) Status: Enabled
Controller Status: OK
Hardware Revision: B
Firmware Version: 7.00-0
Rebuild Priority: High
Expand Priority: Medium
Surface Scan Delay: 3 secs
Surface Scan Mode: Idle
Parallel Surface Scan Supported: Yes
Current Parallel Surface Scan Count: 1
Max Parallel Surface Scan Count: 16
Queue Depth: Automatic
Monitor and Performance Delay: 60 min
Elevator Sort: Enabled
Degraded Performance Optimization: Disabled
Inconsistency Repair Policy: Disabled
Wait for Cache Room: Disabled
Surface Analysis Inconsistency Notification: Disabled
Post Prompt Timeout: 15 secs
Cache Board Present: True
Cache Status: OK
Cache Ratio: 10% Read / 90% Write
Drive Write Cache: Disabled
Total Cache Size: 4.0 GB
Total Cache Memory Available: 3.2 GB
No-Battery Write Cache: Disabled
SSD Caching RAID5 WriteBack Enabled: True
SSD Caching Version: 2
Cache Backup Power Source: Batteries
Battery/Capacitor Count: 1
Battery/Capacitor Status: OK
SATA NCQ Supported: True
Spare Activation Mode: Activate on physical drive failure (default)
Controller Temperature (C): 65
Cache Module Temperature (C): 51
Number of Ports: 2 Internal only
Encryption: Disabled
Express Local Encryption: False
Driver Name: hpsa
Driver Version: 3.4.20
Driver Supports SSD Smart Path: True
PCI Address (Domain:Bus:Device.Function): 0000:08:00.0
Negotiated PCIe Data Rate: PCIe 3.0 x8 (7880 MB/s)
Controller Mode: RAID
Pending Controller Mode: RAID
Latency Scheduler Setting: Disabled
Current Power Mode: MaxPerformance
Survival Mode: Disabled
Host Serial Number: MX
Sanitize Erase Supported: True
Primary Boot Volume: None
Secondary Boot Volume: None

Query: HP Proliant DL380 Gen 9 slow disk writes compared to DL380 Gen 10

support_s — Tue, 16 May 2023 23:18:40 GMT

System recommended content:

1. Gen9 Service Pack for ProLiant 2021.10.1 - Component Release Notes

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Re: Query: HP Proliant DL380 Gen 9 slow disk writes compared to DL380 Gen 10

Keith Marciniak — Tue, 16 May 2023 23:26:54 GMT

Thanks, i already upgraded the entire system with the lastest P45315_001_gen9spp-2021.10.1-Gen9SPP2021101.2022_0711.2.iso

Re: Query: HP Proliant DL380 Gen 9 slow disk writes compared to DL380 Gen 10

Vinky_99 — Thu, 18 May 2023 07:43:01 GMT

@Keith Marciniak

There are several factors that could contribute to the slower disk writes on the HP Proliant DL380 Gen 9 compared to the Gen 10.

* While the Gen 9 and Gen 10 servers have similar specifications in terms of CPU, RAM, and storage configuration, there could be subtle differences in the underlying hardware components that impact performance. These differences may include variations in the RAID controller, cache size, disk interface, or firmware versions.

* Both servers are configured with RAID 5, but there might be differences in the specific settings or optimizations applied. It's worth verifying that the RAID settings are correctly configured and aligned between the two servers. Ensure that the stripe size, read/write cache settings, and other parameters are consistent.

* The disk models used in the Gen 9 and Gen 10 servers are both 6TB SAS 7200rpm drives. However, variations in drive firmware, disk cache settings, or even the individual drive performance could lead to differences in write speeds. It might be worth checking if the drives in the Gen 9 server are performing optimally and are not experiencing any issues.

* Review the storage controller settings for both servers to ensure they are optimized for performance. The settings provided for the Gen 9 server indicate a 10% read and 90% write cache ratio. You may want to experiment with different cache ratios or other controller settings to see if they impact the write performance.

* Monitor the server performance using tools like iostat or other performance monitoring utilities. Check for any anomalies or bottlenecks that could be causing the slower disk writes on the Gen 9 server. Consider adjusting kernel I/O parameters, optimizing filesystem settings, or implementing other performance tuning techniques to improve disk performance.

* Make sure the operating system and software configurations are consistent between the two servers. Variations in disk scheduler, I/O scheduler, filesystem type, or other OS-level settings can affect disk performance. Verify that the Gen 9 server is configured similarly to the Gen 10 server in terms of these settings.

It's important to note that without further detailed analysis and troubleshooting, it can be challenging to pinpoint the exact cause of the performance difference. It might be beneficial to engage with HP support for more assistance.

Hope this helps! Let me know.