HPE Proliant ML350 GEN10 with HPE Smart Array E208i-a SR very slow performance

[rfaias]

hello,

i'm experiencing very low performance on this server. it is running server 2019. at the beginning it was woriking normal with great performance, now it is just painfull to work with it.

the server its just being used as DC and File server, so no havy workload tasks like sql or virtualization. usres are complaining about the slow performance of the file sharing. when i tested it i can get normal read speeds arround 1300MB/s but the write speed i can get only 10MB/s.

the array is configured with 4 SAS drives (no SSD) with 3 of them working in RAID 5 config and a spare.

i've updated the controller firmware and driver. it helped a litle until the next reboot, after that the slow performance came back again.

any ideas?

[TVVJ]

Hello,

You may refer to a solved community post for a similar query on an HPE Gen10 server, though on a different controller, but should hold good. The title of the post is "Slow performance HP Proliant DL360 Gen10 P408i-a SR Gen10 RAID5 HDD".

Regards,

[rfaias]

hi,

thanks for replying.

the thing is that i don't have the external battery or capacitor to activate the smartcache feature and i don't even know it the controller can support it.

the server was working fine until a few weeks back

[TVVJ]

Hello,

SmartCache is a different feature. What was provided was to vary the read and write cache ratio. Not sure why the issue has happened, but adding a cache and modifying the read and write cache improves performance. If a known working cache module is available, install, vary the read/write cache ratio and check the performance before you decide to buy one. Also backup data performing any activity.

Regards,

[rfaias]

@TVVJ 

Hi there!

thanks for the reply.

do you happen to know the part number for the writecache module?

i'm having a little trouble find one

[TVVJ]

Hello,

On reviewing the HPE Smart Array E208i-a SR Gen10 Controller's QuickSpecs (page 4) for more information, it could be gathered that this is an Essential class RAID controller and is not designed to accomodate cache module. As such it is a 'No Cache' controller and hence the read and write cache adjustments is not possible here.

Hence, I request that you see options to optimize the application to improve the I/O performance.

I apologize that previously I had recommended you to visit the read and write cache ratios not realizing that this is a 'No Cache' controller.

Regards,

[rfaias]

hi there!

no problem. i realized that the controller do not have any built-in cache  like the big brother E400 series.

i was digging on the logs from server health and the controller have a warning number 966 saying that the media have unrecoverble media errors and should be fixed automatically when overwritten, but is recommending backup and restore.

at the moment i am backing up the server to rebuil the array, but it is soooo slow it hurts

[rfaias · Accepted solution]

Hi there!

just an heads up!

the problem is solved. i had to make a image from the logical disk in the array and then delete and rebuild the array.

the performance is now normal again.

hope this can help anyone with the same problem.

[Sunitha_Mod]

Hello @rfaias, 

Awesome! 

We are glad to know the problem has been resolved and we appreciate you for keeping us updated.