Filesystem SATA NCQ Benchmarking disk write cache on a SATA2 NCQ capable configuration. I added a few generic CPU tests as a reference for the system performance. The tests are going to try different file systems with or without write barrier and w/ or w/out disk write cache. The default CFQ scheduler is being used. ext3-barrier-cache: Processor: Intel Core i5 650 @ 3.19GHz (4 Cores), Motherboard: LENOVO 5852CB6, Chipset: Intel Core, Memory: 7680MB, Disk: 320GB Western Digital WDC WD3200AAKX-0, Graphics: Intel Core IGP 256MB OS: SUSE LINUX 11, Kernel: 2.6.32.12-0.7-default (x86_64), Desktop: GNOME 2.28.2, Display Server: X Server 1.6.5, Display Driver: intel 2.10.0, OpenGL: 1.4 (2.1 Mesa 7.7), Compiler: GCC 4.3, File-System: ext3, Screen Resolution: 1680x1050 ext3-nobarrier-nocache: Processor: Intel Core i5 650 @ 3.19GHz (4 Cores), Motherboard: LENOVO 5852CB6, Chipset: Intel Core, Memory: 7680MB, Disk: 320GB Western Digital WDC WD3200AAKX-0, Graphics: Intel Core IGP 256MB OS: SUSE LINUX 11, Kernel: 2.6.32.12-0.7-default (x86_64), Desktop: GNOME 2.28.2, Display Server: X Server 1.6.5, Display Driver: intel 2.10.0, OpenGL: 1.4 (2.1 Mesa 7.7), Compiler: GCC 4.3, File-System: ext3, Screen Resolution: 1680x1050 ext4-barrier-cache: Processor: Intel Core i5 650 @ 3.19GHz (4 Cores), Motherboard: LENOVO 5852CB6, Chipset: Intel Core, Memory: 7680MB, Disk: 320GB Western Digital WDC WD3200AAKX-0, Graphics: Intel Core IGP 256MB OS: SUSE LINUX 11, Kernel: 2.6.32.12-0.7-default (x86_64), Desktop: GNOME 2.28.2, Display Server: X Server 1.6.5, Display Driver: intel 2.10.0, OpenGL: 1.4 (2.1 Mesa 7.7), Compiler: GCC 4.3, File-System: ext2/ext3, Screen Resolution: 1680x1050 ext4-nobarrier-nocache: Processor: Intel Core i5 650 @ 3.19GHz (4 Cores), Motherboard: LENOVO 5852CB6, Chipset: Intel Core, Memory: 7680MB, Disk: 320GB Western Digital WDC WD3200AAKX-0, Graphics: Intel Core IGP 256MB OS: SUSE LINUX 11, Kernel: 2.6.32.12-0.7-default (x86_64), Desktop: GNOME 2.28.2, Display Server: X Server 1.6.5, Display Driver: intel 2.10.0, OpenGL: 1.4 (2.1 Mesa 7.7), Compiler: GCC 4.3, File-System: ext2/ext3, Screen Resolution: 1680x1050 btrfs-cow-barrier-cache: Processor: Intel Core i5 650 @ 3.19GHz (4 Cores), Motherboard: LENOVO 5852CB6, Chipset: Intel Core, Memory: 7680MB, Disk: 320GB Western Digital WDC WD3200AAKX-0, Graphics: Intel Core IGP 256MB OS: SUSE LINUX 11, Kernel: 2.6.32.12-0.7-default (x86_64), Desktop: GNOME 2.28.2, Display Server: X Server 1.6.5, Display Driver: intel 2.10.0, OpenGL: 1.4 (2.1 Mesa 7.7), Compiler: GCC 4.3, File-System: Btrfs, Screen Resolution: 1680x1050 btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache: Processor: Intel Core i5 650 @ 3.19GHz (4 Cores), Motherboard: LENOVO 5852CB6, Chipset: Intel Core, Memory: 7680MB, Disk: 320GB Western Digital WDC WD3200AAKX-0, Graphics: Intel Core IGP 256MB OS: SUSE LINUX 11, Kernel: 2.6.32.12-0.7-default (x86_64), Desktop: GNOME 2.28.2, Display Server: X Server 1.6.5, Display Driver: intel 2.10.0, OpenGL: 1.4 (2.1 Mesa 7.7), Compiler: GCC 4.3, File-System: Btrfs, Screen Resolution: 1680x1050 GnuPG 1.4.10 1GB File Encryption Seconds < Lower Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 15.84 |======================================== ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 15.93 |======================================== ext4-barrier-cache ............ 15.91 |======================================== ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 15.90 |======================================== btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 15.97 |======================================== btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 15.87 |======================================== OpenSSL 1.0.0a RSA 4096-bit Performance Signs Per Second > Higher Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 53.38 |======================================== ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 53.43 |======================================== ext4-barrier-cache ............ 53.35 |======================================== ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 53.38 |======================================== btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 53.40 |======================================== btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 53.40 |======================================== Gcrypt Library 1.4.4 CAMELLIA256-ECB Cipher Microseconds < Lower Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 3443 |========================================= ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 3447 |========================================= ext4-barrier-cache ............ 3447 |========================================= ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 3437 |========================================= btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 3440 |========================================= btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 3433 |========================================= John The Ripper 1.7.3.1 Test: Traditional DES Real C/S > Higher Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 3246000 |====================================== ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 3248667 |====================================== ext4-barrier-cache ............ 3243000 |====================================== ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 3251333 |====================================== btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 3249667 |====================================== btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 3250667 |====================================== John The Ripper 1.7.3.1 Test: MD5 Real C/S > Higher Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 15273 |======================================== ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 15189 |======================================== ext4-barrier-cache ............ 15255 |======================================== ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 15283 |======================================== btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 15278 |======================================== btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 15232 |======================================== John The Ripper 1.7.3.1 Test: Blowfish Real C/S > Higher Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 897 |========================================== ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 899 |========================================== ext4-barrier-cache ............ 897 |========================================== ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 899 |========================================== btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 898 |========================================== btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 898 |========================================== 7-Zip Compression 9.13 Compress Speed Test MIPS > Higher Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 8041 |========================================= ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 8076 |========================================= ext4-barrier-cache ............ 8076 |========================================= ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 8085 |========================================= btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 8045 |========================================= btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 8032 |========================================= Gzip Compression 2GB File Compression Seconds < Lower Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 14.36 |======================================= ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 14.62 |======================================== ext4-barrier-cache ............ 14.31 |======================================= ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 14.52 |======================================== btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 14.33 |======================================= btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 14.53 |======================================== Parallel BZIP2 Compression 1.0.5 256MB File Compression Seconds < Lower Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 20.99 |======================================= ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 20.95 |======================================= ext4-barrier-cache ............ 20.83 |====================================== ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 21.44 |======================================= btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 21.74 |======================================== btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 20.70 |====================================== LZMA Compression 256MB File Compression Seconds < Lower Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 201.61 |======================================= ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 201.24 |======================================= ext4-barrier-cache ............ 200.99 |======================================= ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 201.30 |======================================= btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 201.83 |======================================= btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 201.47 |======================================= SQLite 3.7.3 12,500 INSERTs Seconds < Lower Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 880.33 |======================= ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 864.26 |====================== ext4-barrier-cache ............ 854.89 |====================== ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 840.08 |===================== btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 1204.92 |=============================== btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 1485.46 |====================================== Apache Benchmark 2.2.17 Static Web Page Serving Requests Per Second > Higher Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 12281.33 |==================================== ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 12148.53 |==================================== ext4-barrier-cache ............ 12471.13 |===================================== ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 12136.65 |==================================== btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 11944.80 |=================================== btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 12309.25 |===================================== PostgreSQL pgbench 9.0.4 TPC-B Transactions Per Second TPS > Higher Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 115.95 |=========================== ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 113.02 |========================== ext4-barrier-cache ............ 169.68 |======================================= ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 164.92 |====================================== btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 33.78 |======== btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 29.48 |======= Compile Bench 0.6 Test: Initial Create MB/s > Higher Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 138.17 |=========================== ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 134.35 |========================== ext4-barrier-cache ............ 200.49 |======================================= ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 188.43 |===================================== btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 117.60 |======================= btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 95.55 |=================== IOzone 3.347 8GB Write Performance MB/s > Higher Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 74.76 |======================= ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 71.39 |====================== ext4-barrier-cache ............ 113.82 |==================================== ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 111.21 |=================================== btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 121.95 |====================================== btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 124.94 |======================================= IOzone 3.347 8GB Read Performance MB/s > Higher Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 60.78 |============================ ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 60.85 |============================ ext4-barrier-cache ............ 66.27 |=============================== ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 66.09 |=============================== btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 79.86 |===================================== btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 85.53 |======================================== Dbench 4.0 1 Clients MB/s > Higher Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 11.54 |======================================== ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 10.32 |==================================== ext4-barrier-cache ............ 11.23 |======================================= ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 10.83 |====================================== btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 9.91 |================================== btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 9.69 |================================== Dbench 4.0 12 Clients MB/s > Higher Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 19.96 |========== ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 38.11 |==================== ext4-barrier-cache ............ 50.80 |========================== ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 77.10 |======================================== btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 48.14 |========================= btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 29.37 |=============== Dbench 4.0 48 Clients MB/s > Higher Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 21.04 |===== ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 79.31 |=================== ext4-barrier-cache ............ 72.32 |================= ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 165.95 |======================================= btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 107.14 |========================= btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 50.46 |============ Dbench 4.0 128 Clients MB/s > Higher Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 13.73 |=== ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 80.70 |=================== ext4-barrier-cache ............ 70.14 |================= ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 162.69 |======================================= btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 132.76 |================================ btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 46.54 |=========== FS-Mark 3.3 1000 Files, 1MB Size Files/s > Higher Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 14.05 |============================== ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 13.07 |============================ ext4-barrier-cache ............ 14.95 |================================ ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 18.70 |======================================== btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 14.62 |=============================== btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 16.73 |==================================== Flexible IO Tester 1.21 Intel IOMeter File Server Access Pattern Seconds (Run Time) < Lower Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 87.42 |======================================== ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 87.99 |======================================== ext4-barrier-cache ............ 52.74 |======================== ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 61.22 |============================ btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 55.98 |========================= btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 51.98 |======================== Threaded I/O Tester 0.3.3 64MB Random Read - 32 Threads MB/s > Higher Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 6489.86 |====================================== ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 6460.17 |====================================== ext4-barrier-cache ............ 6360.62 |===================================== ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 6531.73 |====================================== btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 6464.87 |====================================== btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 6481.51 |====================================== Threaded I/O Tester 0.3.3 64MB Random Write - 32 Threads MB/s > Higher Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 2.36 |== ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 1.45 |= ext4-barrier-cache ............ 3.40 |=== ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 1.73 |= btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 51.70 |======================================== btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 1.70 |= PostMark 1.51 Disk Transaction Performance TPS > Higher Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 1895 |=================== ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 1936 |=================== ext4-barrier-cache ............ 4166 |========================================= ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 4166 |========================================= btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 3090 |============================== btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 3055 |============================== AIO-Stress 0.21 Random Write MB/s > Higher Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ..... 1158.37 |========================== ext3-nobarrier-nocache . 1113.46 |========================= ext4-barrier-cache ..... 2031.73 |============================================= ext4-nobarrier-nocache . 2024.50 |============================================= Unpacking The Linux Kernel linux-2.6.32.tar.bz2 Seconds < Lower Is Better ext3-barrier-cache ............ 11.15 |======================================== ext3-nobarrier-nocache ........ 11.15 |======================================== ext4-barrier-cache ............ 10.71 |====================================== ext4-nobarrier-nocache ........ 10.89 |======================================= btrfs-cow-barrier-cache ....... 10.67 |====================================== btrfs-nocow-nobarrier-nocache . 10.76 |=======================================