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Conference decwet::networker

Title:	NetWorker
Notice:	kits - 12-14, problem reporting - 41.*, basics 1-100
Moderator:	DECWET::RANDALL.com::lenox

Created:	Thu Oct 10 1996
Last Modified:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	750
Total number of notes:	3361

588.0. "STK redwood/ Legato benchmark" by BRSADV::BUGGENHOUT () Thu Apr 17 1997 08:58

hi

trying to find if NSR is supporting StorageTek I found of course the white
paper about the Legato/Oracle/Digital VLDB benchmarkresults.

I could not find any support of Digital NSR for StorageTek therefore

- in the benchmark Legato Networker BusinesSuite was used : is this specific
   supporting STK redwood ? Will this be available on Digital NSR ?
- STK redwood has a SCSI connection (the silo is a different story) so it
   should be possible to connect on Alphaserver without using special
   things as a box from CNT or Reel software, no ?


comments ?


regina

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
588.1		DECWET::RWALKER	Roger Walker - Media Changers	`Thu Apr 17 1997 10:14`	12
	The tests were performed using the Redwood drives since they were fast and available. We hope to get data with an all Digital solution with in a few weeks. The Redwood drives may not be a cost effective option for real sales. They are very expensive and other alternatives are being explored including the STK Eagle, DLT7000, Sony AIT and IBM Magstar. The performance enhancments will be a base part of the next (4.3) release of NetWorker for DIGITAL UNIX.
588.2	Benchmark info...	DECWET::FARLEE	Insufficient Virtual um...er....	`Thu Apr 17 1997 11:22`	30
	I did the benchmarks using Redwood drives, and I am currently in the process of doing another benchmark which will be announced at the UNIX Symposium next week in Nashua, and later in Berlin. The Redwood drives were used because that's what the benchmark configuration had. Getting time on an 8GB/8CPU turbolaser with a half terabyte of disk is not an easy thing. We chose not to be picky about the drives. Also, if you read the whitepaper carefully, it is described as a technology demonstration. That is far different from a benchmark of shipping software. (in other words, we hacked the code on the spot to get results.) We then took what we learned, and came back and engineered a solid product based on the changes. That product will be released in the June/July timeframe as NetWorker for Digital UNIX V4.3. I am benchmarking the final code now to see how we did, and to check out some last-minute tuning parameters. With V4.3, you will be able to specify STK SD3 (Redwood) as a device type. (as well as several other high-speed tape types) Note well what Roger said, though: Redwoods are fine for benchmarks and such, as they run very fast (11-12 MB/sec sustained), but they are VERY finicky. We currently have 5 drives out of 24 down on the benchmark system. They are NOT reliable, and they are VERY expensive and VERY large. Again, we hope to do more benchmarking on DLT drives and/or other fast tapes such as the Ampex drives as soon as drives and facilities line up. Kevin Farlee
588.3	Redwood not so good !	CHEFS::WORMAN_M		`Thu May 01 1997 08:49`	9
	On the subject of the reliability of high speed drives (and their performance) we have some experience of Ampex, Redwood and Magstar. I agree that the Redwood is both finnicky and unreliable, but the Ampex drive could not even be made to work with D UNIX. It looks good on paper but Ampex failed to impress with their support. The Magstar on the other hand has worked superbly for many months and exceeds its specification of 9MB/S. It also has the advantage of being available through Digital as TKZ90.