Performance status for NetApp flash cache

[TOBIAS1979]

Hi

We have this weekend installed 2x256Gb flash cache in our two FAS3240 controllers. What can I expect from this when do I start to se some effect of the installation? How can I see the perfroamce status of the flash cache?

Rgds

Tobias

[gben]

Hi,

TR-3832 - Flash Cache Best Practicse Guide:

stats show ext_cache_obj

This gives you only a point-in-time view of the data in the counters

[TOBIAS1979]

Hi
Thanks for the *.pdf, now I can chek the performance status. If someone has done this flasch cache installatione I would like to here from you what it really did for their environment. What happens to the VMWare environment, it is possible to access the CIFS share faster?

/T

[CCOLEMAN_]

Hey Tobias,

I have done several Flash Cache installations, and also have 1 512GB card on each controller in my lab environment with only SATA disks. (NFS, CIFs, and ISCSI)

In my lab I saw a boost in all protocols (and some NetApp features), and I also combined flexcache with my VMware NFS volumes. (the instructions to do this are in TR-3832)

But to answer your question, I just see a big boost in response times, and even a little write performance across the board.

These cards easily compensate for my slow SATA drives.

Here are some benchmarks for you,

Baseline submission: FAS3140 with 224 Fibre Channel drives

http://www.spec.org/sfs2008/results/res2010q2/sfs2008-20100415-00156.html

Second submission: FAS3140 with 56 Fibre Channel drives plus Flash Cache

http://www.spec.org/sfs2008/results/res2010q2/sfs2008-20100415-00157.html

Third submission: FAS3140 with 96 SATA drives plus Flash Cache

http://www.spec.org/sfs2008/results/res2010q2/sfs2008-20100415-00158.htm