Gigabit speed


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All the computers including my unraid server are attached to a Netgear gigabit switch (GS608v3), all with cat 5e cables. The switch is showing that all the gigabit capable computers including the unraid server are connecting to it as gigabit (green leds on box). I’ve run a ethtool eth0 command and get the following reading:

 

Settings for eth0:

        Supported ports: [ TP ]

        Supported link modes:  10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full

                                100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full

                                1000baseT/Full

        Supports auto-negotiation: Yes

        Advertised link modes:  Not reported

        Advertised pause frame use: No

        Advertised auto-negotiation: Yes

        Speed: 1000Mb/s

        Duplex: Full

        Port: Twisted Pair

        PHYAD: 0

        Transceiver: internal

        Auto-negotiation: on

        MDI-X: Unknown

        Supports Wake-on: pg

        Wake-on: d

        Current message level: 0x0000003f (63)

        Link detected: yes

 

However, files transfer from my server onto another computer at about 12MB/second. Whereas, if I transfer a file from one of my other gigabit computers to another gigabit computer, I’m seeing more like 83MB/second.

 

Can someone help me figure out why I’m not getting gigabit speeds when transferring files from my server?

 

Thanks, Graham

 

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...

However, files transfer from my server onto another computer at about 12MB/second.

...

Thanks, Graham

 

 

Exactly what are you doing???  Are you using a third computer in this mix and transferring from your 'server' to this computer than onto 'another computer'?  Are we talking about transferring a single 20Gb file or 10,000 5KB files?  There is a lot of overhead when transferring large numbers of files...  What are the operating systems of the computers involved and what program are you using to copy the files? 

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I am going to guess that you are trying to copy directly to your protected array on UnRAID. If so, this is normal because UnRAID is calculating parity as the file copies which slows things down to a crawl.

 

If you want to get back up to normal speed you will want to install a cache drive on UnRAID, which will get you back to your standard transfer speeds. The cache drive sits outside of the array and is treated as a single disk which is why you get normal transfer speeds. Then at a pre-determined time (i.e. 4am) UnRAID will move the data from the unprotected cache drive to the protected array.

 

The nice thing with a cache drive is that it gets treated as a part of your shares, so if you are coping a movie or tv show over it's immediately visible via your usual shares, even before it's moved to the protected array. You just need to update your share to leverage the cache drive.

 

 

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However, files transfer from my server onto another computer at about 12MB/second. Whereas, if I transfer a file from one of my other gigabit computers to another gigabit computer, I’m seeing more like 83MB/second.

 

Can someone help me figure out why I’m not getting gigabit speeds when transferring files from my server?

Post a full syslog that includes the time a large transfer was completed, and server specifications. PSU, Motherboard, RAM, HBA's, hard drive models, etc.
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That speed indicates a discontinuity in either the cable or a connector in one of your connections.    This will cause the speed to drop to 100Mb rates ... which is what you're seeing. 

 

Reseat (or better yet replace) all of the Ethernet cables involved in transfers with your server.

 

Cable between UPS and server (if you're using one);  cable between server/UPS to your router and/or switch; etc.

 

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Thanks everyone for your time but I just tried to transfer a file to get the syslog for jonathanm and it was transfering at 98MB/second!

 

I'm really sorry to waste your time but the high transfer speed seems to be working now between all my computers!?

 

I'm not quite sure why it's working now but I wanted to print a syslog anyway. However, it didn't show any activity sorry.

 

Again thanks for trying but it all seems to be working now.

 

Graham

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Weird thing but the speed is slow again transferring from the server to another computer on the network. Yesterday it ran at 98MB/second and today it's back down to 11MB/second.

 

The syslog isn't showing anything regarding the file transfer as this is the last thing in the log and the last entry happened before I transferred the file:

 

Mar  3 18:48:55 Tower kernel: mdcmd (144): spindown 4

Mar  3 18:54:06 Tower kernel: mdcmd (145): spindown 1

Mar  3 19:18:16 Tower kernel: mdcmd (146): spindown 3

 

Any ideas on why I'm getting an inconsistent transfer speeds?

 

PS: I understand that writing to the unraid server will be slower but I'm these transfers are from the server.

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The low speed is, as I noted before, exactly what you'll see if the transfers switch to 100Mb speed => which they will do with any discontinuity in a cable or connector.

 

I suspect you have a cable that's barely making contact, or has a discontinuity in one of the wire pairs that's intermittent (barely making contact at some point).  ANY movement of that wire/connection -- even something as simple as air movement from your A/C system or a slight bump of the equipment -- is likely causing the inconsistencies.    As I suggested before, change the cables -- or at least unplug/replug them, and be certain there is no pressure on the connectors (i.e. don't push the equipment back where it may cause a slight bend on the cables.

 

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