+- ASK NC (https://ask.nascompares.com)
+-- Forum: Q&A (https://ask.nascompares.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=1)
+--- Forum: Existing NAS users (https://ask.nascompares.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=5)
+--- Thread: Trying to achieve 5GB/sec transfer speed (/showthread.php?tid=11370)
Trying to achieve 5GB/sec transfer speed - Rich - 11-06-2024
I have a qnap TX64 2 bay NAS with 2 2.5gb ports. I have a Tenda TEM2010F 8 port 2.5G switch with 2*2.5G SFP slots. My pc has one on board 2.5G port and an additional pcie 2.5G add in card. I have checked the Enable file services SMB box on the MS Networking screen and the Enable SMB multichannel. My pc and my NAS see both network cards/NAS ports.
I have two cables from pc to switch to NAS. I have one 8TB hard drive and 2*2TB ssds set up for caching and qtier, although I probably don't need them, but I had them on hand so I put them in.
When I transfer an 8GB file from pc to NAS I only get 75-110MB/s transfer speed.
Are there other settings that I need to change?
Are the SFP ports on the switch anything I could use?
I am fairly low on NAS knowledge. I use it fairly simply for backup from pc to NAS, but would like to use it to access photos to display on other devices around the home (big screen TV)
Thanks for any pointers.
RE: Trying to achieve 5GB/sec transfer speed - ed - 11-08-2024
It looks like you're aiming for faster transfer speeds, but there are a few things to check and optimize. To achieve 5GB/sec (5,000MB/s) transfer speed, which is an ambitious goal for your current hardware setup, there are some key considerations:
Key Factors:
Current Network Setup:
QNAP TX64 2-Bay NAS: It has 2.5Gb ports, so theoretically, the maximum speed for each port is 2.5Gbps (about 312.5MB/s). However, aggregating two 2.5Gb ports with SMB Multichannel should give you combined speeds of around 625MB/s (which is much slower than your 5GB goal).
Tenda TEM2010F 2.5G Switch: This switch also supports 2.5G speeds, so you're bottlenecked by that switch's capabilities.
PC Setup: You have a 2.5Gb onboard port and an additional 2.5Gb PCIe card, but since you’re using two cables, you're not achieving a theoretical combined 5Gbps speed yet. In other words, your total bandwidth is 5Gbps, but you're limited by other factors in the transfer process.
Key Points to Consider:
1. Achieving 5GB/sec (5,000MB/s) Speed
5GB/sec (5,000MB/s) is much higher than the capability of 2.5Gb Ethernet and even typical SSDs. To achieve this speed, you'd need 10Gb or higher network interfaces, such as:
10GbE or 25GbE for the NAS and PC.
Specialized hardware (e.g., high-speed SSDs and NICs).
The QNAP TX64 has 2.5Gb ports, so you won’t hit 5GB/sec with this setup.
If you're targeting 1-2GB/sec (1,000-2,000MB/s), you should consider moving to 10GbE.
2. Check SMB Multichannel
SMB Multichannel is already enabled, which is good. But, it won't help achieve ultra-high speeds if the network infrastructure is not capable of supporting it (2.5Gb is still a limiting factor here).
Ensure that you are running the latest drivers on your PC’s network cards and the latest firmware on your NAS.
3. Dual 2.5Gb Ports:
You’ve connected your PC to the NAS through two separate cables, but this might not necessarily improve speeds as expected because it depends on how the networking protocols are configured to aggregate those ports.
On your PC, ensure the NIC Teaming or Link Aggregation is set up correctly (you might need to set this up through the PC’s network adapter settings).
On your NAS, check that LACP (Link Aggregation Control Protocol) or 802.3ad is enabled for link aggregation.
4. SFP+ Ports
The SFP+ ports on your switch are 10Gb capable, but your NAS does not have 10Gb ports, so they won’t improve your speeds.
If you're looking to scale up speeds in the future, you might want to look at upgrading your NAS to one that supports 10GbE or higher.
5. SSD Caching (Qtier)
SSD caching (Qtier) can help with access speed for frequently used files, but for large file transfers, it will have a smaller impact. Since you're transferring a large 8GB file, it’s the network speed that's the bottleneck, not caching.
Suggested Next Steps:
Upgrade to 10GbE:
Consider upgrading the NAS to one with 10GbE or higher ports (e.g., the QNAP TS-873A or similar models).
You'll also need to upgrade your PC with a 10GbE NIC and switch to a 10GbE switch.
Link Aggregation:
If you stick with the 2.5Gb setup, make sure you enable link aggregation on both your NAS and PC network adapters.
Check Network Settings:
Ensure that SMB Multichannel is enabled properly, and your transfer is actually utilizing both 2.5Gb ports.
Test your speeds using iperf3 to see if the network is delivering the expected throughput.
Network Bandwidth:
Remember that 2.5Gb can give you up to 312.5MB/s per port, and with link aggregation, you can get around 625MB/s at most.
5GB/sec requires a 10GbE or faster network, which is currently not achievable with your existing setup.