[Samba] Ext3fs/ReiserFS Performance Enhancing

[Robert Adkins II]

Hello All,

	I have been doing some research to find a method to increase the
performance of writes to the hard drives in my servers. I am running
Samba and all writes to the server hard drives are taking at least 3 to
10 times (It varies) the amount of time it took to write such files on
our older Windows NT 4.0 File Server. 

	The following information is provided to keep this issue on
track...

	It is not a NIC or network issue. Reads of files from those
drives take place almost instantly. I have been able to copy an entire
700MB CD-ROM ISO image off of the server in less then 3 minutes, yet
writing a 5 MB file to the server will take approximately the 3 minutes,
or more. I have also optimized the smb.conf file as best as it can be.
This resulted in a gain of approximately 15 seconds.

	This happens regardless of how busy the server is in serving
files to other users as I have tested this while all PCs were in use on
the network and also when none were in use.

	In some of my searching, I have read that ReiserFS has faster
write performance then Ext3FS. So, I blew away the "share" partition on
our test server, recreated that with ReiserFS and rebuilt the share. So
far, I have only seen a few seconds of speed increase. (The other odd
thing is that the Windows Explorer file copy progress bar is much more
consistent to the ReiserFS share then the ext3fs share.)

	I have a few ideas about why there is a slowdown and a few ideas
of what could possibly increase performance. However, I am at a loss as
to how to implement those changes or how to verify that they are even
possible. (Except by asking this list.)

	My Google searches have come up dry with actual methods (ie.
Commands to look at or actually use.) to implement some performance
enhancements. All they say are things like, change ext3fs's method of
writing the journal from the stock "conservative" method to the much
faster, yet slightly dangerous, method. There is just no mention of how
that is done. I have read through the man pages and there is nothing
that leaps out and says, "This is the command that alters the ext3fs
journal method." 

	From what I read, so far, about the two journaling methods it is
a VERY acceptable risk for the potential performance increase. (It is
even more acceptable if it can be setup only to affect the share
partition, which is also its own separate drive.)

	There are a few other ideas that I have, but after thinking
those over, they would likely be far more of a hassle then they would be
worth.

	Are there any suggestions for increasing HD Write performance,
while still using a journaling FS? At this time, I do not have the
resources and additional funds to rebuild the hard drives using XFS or
JFS. So, it has to be ReiserFS or ext3fs.

	Thanks for any assistance!

Regards,
Robert Adkins II
IT Manager/Buyer
Impel Industries, Inc.
586-254-5800