Directory enumeration lag over network

[ikon]

Environment
4x2TB WD RE4 HDD on a 3ware 9650SE-4LPML card (no RAID arrays)
Intel Pro/1000 CT NIC
Windows Home Server 2011
DrivePool v2.1.0.552 BETA (Read Striping and Network I/O Boost enabled)
 
 
I had these same 4 drives attached to the same 3ware card, on the same motherboard in a RAID5 setup previously. In that setup, access over the network showed no particular delay or lag before presenting a list of files & folders in a Shared Folder. Since installing DrivePool, I've noticed a delay or lag that can sometimes be as long as 10 to 30 seconds before the directory list appears.
 
The effect is exactly what I would expect if DrivePool had to re-enumerate the directory list from scratch before sending it to the client computer. There are 3 things that make it particularly seem like it's an enumeration issue:

• once I do get a list of files & directories at the top level of a Shared Folder, if I click on a level 2 directory I get another delay, exactly as if that directory is being enumerated;
   
• the length of time it takes to bring up a list of files and directories seems to vary with the number files and sub-directories contained in the directory;
   
• once I have drilled down on a directory, subsequent accesses to that directory are very quick - back up to what I had before I installed DrivePool. However, if I leave the system alone for a few hours, there will again be a delay or lag in accessing the Shared Folders.

In addition, there are some other things I've noticed:

• if I access the directories in a Remote Desktop session on the server itself there doesn't seem to be any appreciable delay or lag - it only appears on the networked clients;
   
• there doesn't seem to be a lot of difference having Read Striping or Network I/O Boost Enabled. I think Network I/O Boost gave a little performance boost, but it's hard to be certain.

 

So I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to get rid of the delay or lag other than getting rid of that pool and going back to a RAID array.

[Christopher (Drashna)]

Try disabling "Network I/O Boost" and see if that helps. 

This feature uses addition resource overhead and could be why it's talking longer.

 

Also, there is this:

http://forum.wegotserved.com/index.php/topic/8335-before-you-post-media-stuttering-playback-issues-performance-irregularities/

 

 

If neither of those help, enable the file system logging and produce the issue:

http://wiki.covecube.com/StableBit_DrivePool_2.x_Log_Collection

 

 

Also, if you do have a good amount of memory available on the server:

 

fsutil behavior set memoryusage 2

Run this from an elevated command prompt.

[ikon]

I've disabled Network I/O Boost again. As I said, it hasn't really seemed to make much of a difference, but we'll see.

 

I will try the logging feature, probably tomorrow, after the server has had a chance to settle down.

 

re: the memory change: I have 4GB of RAM. Would that qualify do you think?

[Christopher (Drashna)]

Depends on how much is free usually.... But probably not.

 

 

And I just wanted to make sure that Network IO Boost was disabled. It can cause some performance issues on lower end systems.