Storage Over IP: When Does Hardware Support Help?

摘要: This paper explores the effect of current generation hardware support for IP storage area networks on application performance. In this regard, presents a comprehensive analysis three competing approaches to build an network that differ in their level support: software, TOE (TCP Offload Engine) and HBA (Host Bus Adapter). The software approach is based unmodified TCP/IP stacks are part standard operating system distribution. For two hardware-based (TOE, HBA), we experimented with range adapters chose representative adapter each approaches. The micro-benchmark reveals while does reduce CPU utilization large block sizes, can itself be performance bottleneck hurts throughput latency small sizes. Furthermore, macro-benchmark demonstrates may have potential provide improvements CPU-intensive applications, overall not demonstrate any benefits database, scientific email benchmarks. points out disparity processing power between host primary cause approaches. aims guide designers next hardware-assisted better leverage increasing host. particular, future should capable handling operations at wire speed.