Hmmmm.... You want to test performance? Or are you thinking of a config that may provide better performance?
Compellent's auto tiering is the best in the industry, it will figure it out as you use it, move it without you knowing, ect..ect..ect... So on the config side? Not so much to do. Now on the test side? Has it been in a while? Testing can somewhat skew what Compellent is attempting to accomplish. But I/O meter is the gold standard still for measuring IOPS.
Thanks for the reply. I'll definetly check out IO Meter. A quick google search came up with other satisfied users.
In addition, would you know if there is a HBA settings guide for Compellent? I found some older docs on KC that recommends execution throttle to 255. I've always been wary of cranking it up that high, but again, im new with compellent so I just want to understand things better. Would they recommend 255 for all server types? VMware (yes, found doc on this one), SQL?, Standard App server ?
We evaluated Compellent and man was it mean. We had a test unit for like two weeks late 2010 before the Dell acquisition. I think we could throw more at it at once then any other system we evaluated. So if any storage system could take it, it would be Compellent in my opinion.
Your iSCSI performance looks really rocking to me in all honesty. I'd be more worried about some odd consequence on the host itself from such agression. If the host can serve it up? I'd say it can only be a good thing.
Are you replicating/backing up over a WAN/VPN? You might consider a WAN optimizer in that case. Virtualized WAN optimizers can improve Compellent performance by up to 5x, take ~15 minutes to deploy, and are now available for free download. Check out Silver Peak's VRX-8 or VX-xpress, for example, here: http://www.vx-xpress.com/downloads/
Something that may be helpful for what you are wanting to look at, if you get the Compellent Enterprise Manager software it has a performance testing feature built into it. However it is a licensed piece of software, the good thing however is that it's a free license . What you will need to do is contact Compellent and they will be able to provide you with the detailed info on that. Once you get the software and it is installed the performance testing part is called "I/O Usage Report." Below is a link I found that explains some of the features that the Enterprise Manager offers.
It used to not be a free license. I was made aware that has changed you just need to contact the actual co-pilot Compellent team and they would be able to provide you with everything to get it installed. In case you need it here is a link that has some info on the software.
Enterprise Manager is a licensed feature that is included in all of Dell Compellent's bundles. Kenny is correct that at some point it wasn't free (before my time and before my teammate's time who manages EM) but it is included now. Enterprise Manager Chargeback is an add on feature that must be purchased separately.
JOHNADCO
2 Intern
•
847 Posts
0
February 9th, 2012 07:00
Hmmmm.... You want to test performance? Or are you thinking of a config that may provide better performance?
Compellent's auto tiering is the best in the industry, it will figure it out as you use it, move it without you knowing, ect..ect..ect... So on the config side? Not so much to do. Now on the test side? Has it been in a while? Testing can somewhat skew what Compellent is attempting to accomplish. But I/O meter is the gold standard still for measuring IOPS.
djata909
2 Posts
0
February 9th, 2012 09:00
Thanks for the reply. I'll definetly check out IO Meter. A quick google search came up with other satisfied users.
In addition, would you know if there is a HBA settings guide for Compellent? I found some older docs on KC that recommends execution throttle to 255. I've always been wary of cranking it up that high, but again, im new with compellent so I just want to understand things better. Would they recommend 255 for all server types? VMware (yes, found doc on this one), SQL?, Standard App server ?
JOHNADCO
2 Intern
•
847 Posts
0
February 9th, 2012 12:00
We evaluated Compellent and man was it mean. We had a test unit for like two weeks late 2010 before the Dell acquisition. I think we could throw more at it at once then any other system we evaluated. So if any storage system could take it, it would be Compellent in my opinion.
Your iSCSI performance looks really rocking to me in all honesty. I'd be more worried about some odd consequence on the host itself from such agression. If the host can serve it up? I'd say it can only be a good thing.
WANMagician
2 Posts
0
February 16th, 2012 07:00
Are you replicating/backing up over a WAN/VPN? You might consider a WAN optimizer in that case. Virtualized WAN optimizers can improve Compellent performance by up to 5x, take ~15 minutes to deploy, and are now available for free download. Check out Silver Peak's VRX-8 or VX-xpress, for example, here: http://www.vx-xpress.com/downloads/
DELL-Kenny K
685 Posts
1
February 16th, 2012 09:00
Djata909,
Something that may be helpful for what you are wanting to look at, if you get the Compellent Enterprise Manager software it has a performance testing feature built into it. However it is a licensed piece of software, the good thing however is that it's a free license . What you will need to do is contact Compellent and they will be able to provide you with the detailed info on that. Once you get the software and it is installed the performance testing part is called "I/O Usage Report." Below is a link I found that explains some of the features that the Enterprise Manager offers.
www.compellent.com/.../Enterprise-Manager.aspx
I hope this helps. Please feel free to let us know if you need anything else.
trichert
15 Posts
0
February 28th, 2012 11:00
When did Enterprise Manager become a free license?
DELL-Kenny K
685 Posts
1
February 29th, 2012 09:00
It used to not be a free license. I was made aware that has changed you just need to contact the actual co-pilot Compellent team and they would be able to provide you with everything to get it installed. In case you need it here is a link that has some info on the software.
www.compellent.com/.../Enterprise-Manager.aspx
Let me know if you need anything else.
DELL-Bill Gr
50 Posts
0
February 29th, 2012 09:00
Enterprise Manager is a licensed feature that is included in all of Dell Compellent's bundles. Kenny is correct that at some point it wasn't free (before my time and before my teammate's time who manages EM) but it is included now. Enterprise Manager Chargeback is an add on feature that must be purchased separately.