Drop NFS speed on move from kernel 2.4 to 2.6 (was: Change in NFSclient behavior)

[Tomasz Kłoczko]

On Wed, 31 Aug 2005, Rob Sims wrote:

> We have noticed when changing from kernel 2.4.23 to 2.6.8 that
> timestamps of files are not changed if opened for a write and nothing is
> written.  When using 2.4.23 timestamps are changed.  When using a local
> filesystem (reiserfs) with either kernel, timestamps are changed.
> Symptoms vary with the client, not the server.  See the script below.
>
> When run on a 2.4.23 machine in an NFS mounted directory, output is
> "Good."  When run on a 2.6.8 or 2.6.12-rc4 machine in an NFS directory,
> output is "Error."
>
> Is this a bug?  How do we revert to the 2.4/local fs behavior?

I have another (IMO strange) observation on move NFS client from kernel 
2.4. to 2.6: drop NFS speed by *~1/3*.

In attachemt is small giff generated by mrtg from data sucked from 
switch SNMP agent. Each day (at night) I perform dayly backups (via NFS) 
and on this plots it visable by dayly high network activity.
Aprox four weeks ago I'm switch on host connected to monitored switch port 
from kernel 2.4 to 2.6. Result can be observer on attached picture by 
reduce maximum bandwitch data transferred on this port by ~1/3 (?!?).

Next smaller drob down (~two weeks ago) which can be observed on this plot 
it is result switchung from UDP to TCP (performed specialy for produce 
some visable data for compare).

~30% drob down NFS client speed on this host isn't critical but probably 
this is kind of top iceberg with some other problems which now exist in 
kernel 2.6. I'm not expert in this area but my frient (Marcin Dalecki) 
says this drop down may have some roots in worse memory management in 
kernel 2.6. Is it can be true or not ?

kloczek
--
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*Ludzie nie mają problemów, tylko sobie sami je stwarzają*
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Tomasz Kłoczko, sys adm @zie.pg.gda.pl|*e-mail: kloczek@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx*

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