Native Btrfs vs. mdadm RAID Btrfs RAID benchmarks with four Intel SSDs using RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, and 10 levels on Linux 3.18 kernel. Benchmarks by Michael Larabel for a future article on Phoronix.com. Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 0: Processor: Intel Core i7-5960X @ 4.00GHz (16 Cores), Motherboard: Gigabyte X99-UD4-CF, Chipset: Intel Xeon E5 v3/Core, Memory: 16384MB, Disk: 4 x 120GB INTEL SSDSC2BW12 + 128GB Crucial_CT128MX1, Graphics: XFX AMD Radeon HD 7950/8950 OEM / R9 280 3072MB, Audio: Intel C610/X99, Monitor: SyncMaster, Network: Intel Connection OS: Ubuntu 14.10, Kernel: 3.18.0-031800rc1-generic (x86_64), Desktop: Unity 7.3.1, Display Server: X Server 1.16.0, Display Driver: radeon 7.4.0, OpenGL: 3.3 Mesa 10.3.0 Gallium 0.4, Compiler: GCC 4.9.1, File-System: btrfs, Screen Resolution: 2560x1600 Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 1: Processor: Intel Core i7-5960X @ 4.00GHz (16 Cores), Motherboard: Gigabyte X99-UD4-CF, Chipset: Intel Xeon E5 v3/Core, Memory: 16384MB, Disk: 4 x 120GB INTEL SSDSC2BW12 + 128GB Crucial_CT128MX1, Graphics: XFX AMD Radeon HD 7950/8950 OEM / R9 280 3072MB, Audio: Intel C610/X99, Monitor: SyncMaster, Network: Intel Connection OS: Ubuntu 14.10, Kernel: 3.18.0-031800rc1-generic (x86_64), Desktop: Unity 7.3.1, Display Server: X Server 1.16.0, Display Driver: radeon 7.4.0, OpenGL: 3.3 Mesa 10.3.0 Gallium 0.4, Compiler: GCC 4.9.1, File-System: btrfs, Screen Resolution: 2560x1600 Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 10: Processor: Intel Core i7-5960X @ 4.00GHz (16 Cores), Motherboard: Gigabyte X99-UD4-CF, Chipset: Intel Xeon E5 v3/Core, Memory: 16384MB, Disk: 4 x 120GB INTEL SSDSC2BW12 + 128GB Crucial_CT128MX1, Graphics: XFX AMD Radeon HD 7950/8950 OEM / R9 280 3072MB, Audio: Intel C610/X99, Monitor: SyncMaster, Network: Intel Connection OS: Ubuntu 14.10, Kernel: 3.18.0-031800rc1-generic (x86_64), Desktop: Unity 7.3.1, Display Server: X Server 1.16.0, Display Driver: radeon 7.4.0, OpenGL: 3.3 Mesa 10.3.0 Gallium 0.4, Compiler: GCC 4.9.1, File-System: btrfs, Screen Resolution: 2560x1600 Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 5: Processor: Intel Core i7-5960X @ 4.00GHz (16 Cores), Motherboard: Gigabyte X99-UD4-CF, Chipset: Intel Xeon E5 v3/Core, Memory: 16384MB, Disk: 4 x 120GB INTEL SSDSC2BW12 + 128GB Crucial_CT128MX1, Graphics: XFX AMD Radeon HD 7950/8950 OEM / R9 280 3072MB, Audio: Intel C610/X99, Monitor: SyncMaster, Network: Intel Connection OS: Ubuntu 14.10, Kernel: 3.18.0-031800rc1-generic (x86_64), Desktop: Unity 7.3.1, Display Server: X Server 1.16.0, Display Driver: radeon 7.4.0, OpenGL: 3.3 Mesa 10.3.0 Gallium 0.4, Compiler: GCC 4.9.1, File-System: btrfs, Screen Resolution: 2560x1600 Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 6: Processor: Intel Core i7-5960X @ 4.00GHz (16 Cores), Motherboard: Gigabyte X99-UD4-CF, Chipset: Intel Xeon E5 v3/Core, Memory: 16384MB, Disk: 4 x 120GB INTEL SSDSC2BW12 + 128GB Crucial_CT128MX1, Graphics: XFX AMD Radeon HD 7950/8950 OEM / R9 280 3072MB, Audio: Intel C610/X99, Monitor: SyncMaster, Network: Intel Connection OS: Ubuntu 14.10, Kernel: 3.18.0-031800rc1-generic (x86_64), Desktop: Unity 7.3.1, Display Server: X Server 1.16.0, Display Driver: radeon 7.4.0, OpenGL: 3.3 Mesa 10.3.0 Gallium 0.4, Compiler: GCC 4.9.1, File-System: btrfs, Screen Resolution: 2560x1600 mdadm Btrfs: RAID 0: Processor: Intel Core i7-5960X @ 4.00GHz (16 Cores), Motherboard: Gigabyte X99-UD4-CF, Chipset: Intel Xeon E5 v3/Core, Memory: 16384MB, Disk: 4 x 120GB INTEL SSDSC2BW12 + 128GB Crucial_CT128MX1, Graphics: XFX AMD Radeon HD 7950/8950 OEM / R9 280 3072MB, Audio: Intel C610/X99, Monitor: SyncMaster, Network: Intel Connection OS: Ubuntu 14.10, Kernel: 3.18.0-031800rc1-generic (x86_64), Desktop: Unity 7.3.1, Display Server: X Server 1.16.0, Display Driver: radeon 7.4.0, OpenGL: 3.3 Mesa 10.3.0 Gallium 0.4, Compiler: GCC 4.9.1, File-System: btrfs, Screen Resolution: 2560x1600 mdadm Btrfs: RAID 1: Processor: Intel Core i7-5960X @ 4.00GHz (16 Cores), Motherboard: Gigabyte X99-UD4-CF, Chipset: Intel Xeon E5 v3/Core, Memory: 16384MB, Disk: 4 x 120GB INTEL SSDSC2BW12 + 128GB Crucial_CT128MX1, Graphics: XFX AMD Radeon HD 7950/8950 OEM / R9 280 3072MB, Audio: Intel C610/X99, Monitor: SyncMaster, Network: Intel Connection OS: Ubuntu 14.10, Kernel: 3.18.0-031800rc1-generic (x86_64), Desktop: Unity 7.3.1, Display Server: X Server 1.16.0, Display Driver: radeon 7.4.0, OpenGL: 3.3 Mesa 10.3.0 Gallium 0.4, Compiler: GCC 4.9.1, File-System: btrfs, Screen Resolution: 2560x1600 mdadm Btrfs: RAID 10: Processor: Intel Core i7-5960X @ 4.00GHz (16 Cores), Motherboard: Gigabyte X99-UD4-CF, Chipset: Intel Xeon E5 v3/Core, Memory: 16384MB, Disk: 4 x 120GB INTEL SSDSC2BW12 + 128GB Crucial_CT128MX1, Graphics: XFX AMD Radeon HD 7950/8950 OEM / R9 280 3072MB, Audio: Intel C610/X99, Monitor: SyncMaster, Network: Intel Connection OS: Ubuntu 14.10, Kernel: 3.18.0-031800rc1-generic (x86_64), Desktop: Unity 7.3.1, Display Server: X Server 1.16.0, Display Driver: radeon 7.4.0, OpenGL: 3.3 Mesa 10.3.0 Gallium 0.4, Compiler: GCC 4.9.1, File-System: btrfs, Screen Resolution: 2560x1600 mdadm Btrfs: RAID 5: Processor: Intel Core i7-5960X @ 4.00GHz (16 Cores), Motherboard: Gigabyte X99-UD4-CF, Chipset: Intel Xeon E5 v3/Core, Memory: 16384MB, Disk: 4 x 120GB INTEL SSDSC2BW12 + 128GB Crucial_CT128MX1, Graphics: XFX AMD Radeon HD 7950/8950 OEM / R9 280 3072MB, Audio: Intel C610/X99, Monitor: SyncMaster, Network: Intel Connection OS: Ubuntu 14.10, Kernel: 3.18.0-031800rc1-generic (x86_64), Desktop: Unity 7.3.1, Display Server: X Server 1.16.0, Display Driver: radeon 7.4.0, OpenGL: 3.3 Mesa 10.3.0 Gallium 0.4, Compiler: GCC 4.9.1, File-System: btrfs, Screen Resolution: 2560x1600 mdadm Btrfs: RAID 6: Processor: Intel Core i7-5960X @ 4.00GHz (16 Cores), Motherboard: Gigabyte X99-UD4-CF, Chipset: Intel Xeon E5 v3/Core, Memory: 16384MB, Disk: 4 x 120GB INTEL SSDSC2BW12 + 128GB Crucial_CT128MX1, Graphics: XFX AMD Radeon HD 7950/8950 OEM / R9 280 3072MB, Audio: Intel C610/X99, Monitor: SyncMaster, Network: Intel Connection OS: Ubuntu 14.10, Kernel: 3.18.0-031800rc1-generic (x86_64), Desktop: Unity 7.3.1, Display Server: X Server 1.16.0, Display Driver: radeon 7.4.0, OpenGL: 3.3 Mesa 10.3.0 Gallium 0.4, Compiler: GCC 4.9.1, File-System: btrfs, Screen Resolution: 2560x1600 FS-Mark 3.3 Test: 1000 Files, 1MB Size Files/s > Higher Is Better Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 0 .. 41.43 |=========================================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 1 .. 35.10 |==================================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 10 . 38.33 |======================================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 5 .. 38.87 |======================================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 6 .. 38.20 |======================================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 0 ........ 39.60 |========================================= mdadm Btrfs: RAID 1 ........ 34.03 |=================================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 10 ....... 37.80 |======================================= mdadm Btrfs: RAID 5 ........ 33.37 |=================================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 6 ........ 30.43 |================================ FS-Mark 3.3 Test: 5000 Files, 1MB Size, 4 Threads Files/s > Higher Is Better Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 0 .. 83.73 |======================================= Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 1 .. 69.03 |================================ Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 10 . 77.07 |==================================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 5 .. 79.87 |===================================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 6 .. 75.47 |=================================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 0 ........ 92.00 |=========================================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 1 ........ 64.00 |============================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 10 ....... 75.60 |=================================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 5 ........ 64.73 |============================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 6 ........ 56.80 |=========================== FS-Mark 3.3 Test: 4000 Files, 32 Sub Dirs, 1MB Size Files/s > Higher Is Better Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 0 .. 40.73 |=========================================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 1 .. 35.63 |====================================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 10 . 38.50 |========================================= Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 5 .. 39.17 |========================================= Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 6 .. 37.73 |======================================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 0 ........ 39.43 |========================================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 1 ........ 33.43 |=================================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 10 ....... 36.93 |======================================= mdadm Btrfs: RAID 5 ........ 32.10 |================================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 6 ........ 30.63 |================================ Flexible IO Tester 2.1.11 Type: Random Read - IO Engine: Libaio - Buffered: No - Block Size: 16KB - Disk Target: Default Test Directory - Result: MB/s MB/s > Higher Is Better Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 0 .. 758.26 |=================================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 1 .. 233.00 |=========== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 10 . 469.10 |====================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 5 .. 742.06 |================================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 6 .. 653.54 |============================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 0 ........ 816.02 |====================================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 1 ........ 224.69 |========== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 10 ....... 695.44 |================================ mdadm Btrfs: RAID 5 ........ 792.61 |===================================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 6 ........ 909.98 |========================================== Flexible IO Tester 2.1.11 Type: Random Write - IO Engine: Libaio - Buffered: No - Block Size: 16KB - Disk Target: Default Test Directory - Result: MB/s MB/s > Higher Is Better Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 0 .. 497.23 |========================================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 1 .. 128.00 |=========== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 10 . 267.48 |======================= Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 5 .. 248.93 |===================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 6 .. 214.56 |================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 0 ........ 381.45 |================================ mdadm Btrfs: RAID 1 ........ 109.22 |========= mdadm Btrfs: RAID 10 ....... 159.53 |============= mdadm Btrfs: RAID 5 ........ 214.31 |================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 6 ........ 179.73 |=============== Flexible IO Tester 2.1.11 Type: Sequential Read - IO Engine: Libaio - Buffered: No - Block Size: 16KB - Disk Target: Default Test Directory - Result: MB/s MB/s > Higher Is Better Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 0 .. 824.97 |==================================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 1 .. 323.80 |============== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 10 . 450.78 |==================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 5 .. 869.68 |====================================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 6 .. 960.89 |========================================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 1 ........ 854.98 |===================================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 10 ....... 843.68 |===================================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 5 ........ 879.09 |====================================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 6 ........ 925.05 |======================================== Flexible IO Tester 2.1.11 Type: Sequential Write - IO Engine: Libaio - Buffered: No - Block Size: 16KB - Disk Target: Default Test Directory - Result: MB/s MB/s > Higher Is Better Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 0 .. 319.41 |=================================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 1 .. 130.32 |============== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 10 . 272.19 |============================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 5 .. 242.55 |========================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 6 .. 208.96 |======================= mdadm Btrfs: RAID 0 ........ 385.34 |========================================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 1 ........ 109.97 |============ mdadm Btrfs: RAID 10 ....... 161.90 |================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 5 ........ 209.60 |======================= mdadm Btrfs: RAID 6 ........ 172.72 |=================== IOzone 3.405 Record Size: 4Kb - File Size: 8GB - Disk Test: Write Performance MB/s > Higher Is Better Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 0 .. 1142.43 |========================================= Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 1 .. 584.85 |===================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 10 . 599.32 |====================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 5 .. 876.77 |=============================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 6 .. 598.43 |===================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 0 ........ 1141.18 |========================================= mdadm Btrfs: RAID 1 ........ 280.39 |========== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 10 ....... 478.65 |================= mdadm Btrfs: RAID 5 ........ 438.55 |================ mdadm Btrfs: RAID 6 ........ 315.85 |=========== Compile Bench 0.6 Test: Initial Create MB/s > Higher Is Better Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 0 .. 206.74 |========================================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 1 .. 187.72 |====================================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 10 . 177.54 |==================================== Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 5 .. 189.59 |======================================= Native Btrfs RAID: RAID 6 .. 195.02 |======================================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 0 ........ 178.31 |==================================== mdadm Btrfs: RAID 1 ........ 160.58 |================================= mdadm Btrfs: RAID 10 ....... 156.97 |================================ mdadm Btrfs: RAID 5 ........ 156.21 |================================ mdadm Btrfs: RAID 6 ........ 151.64 |===============================