Symantec BackupExec 2010 R3 and CommVault Simpana 9 software were also installed on the R810 to perform the backup and restore operations.
Data sets used in the testing consisted of thousands of random data files ranging in size from 1KB to 100MB in size. These data sets were stored on LUNs created on the PowerVault MD, EqualLogic PS, and Compellent arrays and presented to Symantec BackupExec and CommVault Simpana on the R810. The data was used to perform continuous extended backup and restore operations to and from the PowerVault ML6000 and TL tape devices.
Performance was measured on the PowerVault LTO5 tape drives connected to the Chelsio USR using the values reported in the data protection software, as well as various test utilities. Evaluating the effective throughput can be difficult as there are many factors affecting it including: file size, compression, protocol overhead, NIC configuration, and the block size setting on the tape drive. The LTO5 tape drive is capable of streaming data at up to 140 MB/s with 1:1 compressible data. Across various configurations, Dell testing demonstrated performance ranging from 90% to 95% of the max LTO5 throughput. The optimal performance gains were recorded by enabling jumbo frames on the Dell 10GbE NICs and configuring the tape drive to run at 256KB block size. These settings may not work for all environments and may need adjusting depending on your data set and hardware to obtain the optimal throughput.
Throughout the testing, all Dell storage devices, switches, and servers connected in the iSCSI SAN were closely monitored to evaluate the impact on the entire iSCSI solution infrastructure. The Chelsio USR was tested to the same rigorous test procedures run on Dell’s own storage products and all configurations tested passed all functional, reliability, and performance test scenarios.
Enhancing the Dell iSCSI SAN with Dell PowerVaultTM Tape Libraries and Chelsio Unified Storage Router iSCSI Appliance
