Topic: SME 8.0 on SSD

[damjan]

Hi,

I'm planning to install SME 8.0 on new hardware. I'm focusing  on installation with SSD (solid state disk) .

Did any of you have got some experience about SSD and SME 8.0?

Did they work as "normal spin" disks?
Here I mean flawless recognition from installer/krenel, working in RAID (redundancy) etc.

Which manufacturer do you prefer and from which you got best results with SME 8.0 ?
Kingston, Intel, OCZ ...

Thank you fro your answer

D.

[Stefano]

search info about CentOS5.x on ssd.. AFAIK only newer kernels are able to work correctly with ssd

[damjan]

Thank you for your answer Stefano,

What I would like to clear up is the fact that SME 8.0 in present condition do not work well with SSD and therefore new servers must have "old type" spinning disks.

Br

D.

[janet]

damjan

A quick read of Google search results seems to say that there was limited support for SSD's in CentOS 5.6, some support in 5.8 (which sme 8.0 currently is based on) and for best compatibility & support to use CentOS 6.x, so I'd assume it would be some time yet before sme is moved to CentOS6.x and will support SSD's without problems.
You need to do the searching and reading yourself as Stefano has suggested.

[purvis]

From what i have read in some test, the SSD INTEL 520 versions might be a nice  SSD to use. There are some self cleanup routines built into the hardware built into the SSD drive from these versions.
You might not get the ultimate SSD performance totally, but the performance still is better than a non SSD drive from test reports i have seen.
I figure that the SSD drives in the future will acquire better and better performance along with self maintenance before SME uses another linux base os.

 

[purvis]

Two weeks ago, I installed SME server 8 on a new computer and I am using two INTEl 520 180gig SSD drives in raid 1 mode.
It is a production office database server and the sme server is setup in SERVER ONLY mode.
After a conventional hard drive failed using raid 1 in a older server.
I moved to a newer computer INTEL i5.
I use smaller computers from local stores. Bought this one from Office Depot.
Lenovo H430 57311363 Desktop Computer
Lenovo® H430 (57311363)
8 gigs of main memory

I would not use the INTEL 320 drives because they do not have good build in SSD cleanup firmware built in, or at least that is what i have read.
I am also using the 520 SSD Drives on a few of the other desktop computers as well, mostly the computers that i use.
The 520 SSD drives do come in larger sizes than the 180 but they are not on local store shelves.

Well see how things go. Here is some info from test ran on the two drives in raid1 mode
Sadly, the motherboard does not support 6Gbps sata links, only up to 3Gbps

Code: [Select]

#hdparm -tT /dev/md2

/dev/md2:
 Timing cached reads:   38156 MB in  2.00 seconds = 19107.09 MB/sec
 Timing buffered disk reads:  582 MB in  3.00 seconds = 193.85 MB/sec


#dmesg | grep -i sata

ata1: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0xf110 ctl 0xf100 bmdma 0xf0d0 irq 201
ata2: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0xf0f0 ctl 0xf0e0 bmdma 0xf0d8 irq 201
ata1.00: SATA link up 3.0 Gbps (SStatus 123 SControl 330)
ata1.01: SATA link down (SStatus 0 SControl 0)
ata2.00: SATA link up 3.0 Gbps (SStatus 123 SControl 330)
ata2.01: SATA link down (SStatus 0 SControl 0)
ata3: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0xf0b0 ctl 0xf0a0 bmdma 0xf070 irq 201
ata4: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0xf090 ctl 0xf080 bmdma 0xf078 irq 201

and for those interested in the smartctl info for both drives

Code: [Select]

#smartctl -a /dev/sda
smartctl 5.42 2011-10-20 r3458 [i686-linux-2.6.18-348.1.1.el5PAE] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

Device Model:     INTEL SSDSC2CW180A3
Serial Number:    CVCV232401M4180EGN
LU WWN Device Id: 5 001517 bb29fe1a0
Firmware Version: 400i
User Capacity:    180,045,766,656 bytes [180 GB]
Sector Size:      512 bytes logical/physical
Device is:        Not in smartctl database [for details use: -P showall]
ATA Version is:   8
ATA Standard is:  ACS-2 revision 3
Local Time is:    Thu Jan 31 17:09:32 2013 CST
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED

General SMART Values:
Offline data collection status:  (0x02) Offline data collection activity
                                        was completed without error.
                                        Auto Offline Data Collection: Disabled.
Self-test execution status:      (   0) The previous self-test routine completed
                                        without error or no self-test has ever
                                        been run.
Total time to complete Offline
data collection:                ( 2197) seconds.
Offline data collection
capabilities:                    (0x7f) SMART execute Offline immediate.
                                        Auto Offline data collection on/off support.
                                        Abort Offline collection upon new
                                        command.
                                        Offline surface scan supported.
                                        Self-test supported.
                                        Conveyance Self-test supported.
                                        Selective Self-test supported.
SMART capabilities:            (0x0003) Saves SMART data before entering
                                        power-saving mode.
                                        Supports SMART auto save timer.
Error logging capability:        (0x01) Error logging supported.
                                        General Purpose Logging supported.
Short self-test routine
recommended polling time:        (   1) minutes.
Extended self-test routine
recommended polling time:        (  48) minutes.
Conveyance self-test routine
recommended polling time:        (   2) minutes.
SCT capabilities:              (0x0021) SCT Status supported.
                                        SCT Data Table supported.

SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 10
Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:
ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME          FLAG     VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE      UPDATED  WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE
  5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct   0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
  9 Power_On_Hours          0x0032   000   000   000    Old_age   Always       -       41678363535392
 12 Power_Cycle_Count       0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       14
170 Unknown_Attribute       0x0033   100   100   010    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
171 Unknown_Attribute       0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
172 Unknown_Attribute       0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
174 Unknown_Attribute       0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       14
184 End-to-End_Error        0x0033   100   100   090    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
187 Reported_Uncorrect      0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       14
225 Load_Cycle_Count        0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       1382
226 Load-in_Time            0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       65535
227 Torq-amp_Count          0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       89
228 Power-off_Retract_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       65535
232 Available_Reservd_Space 0x0033   100   100   010    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
233 Media_Wearout_Indicator 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
241 Total_LBAs_Written      0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       1382
242 Total_LBAs_Read         0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       11231
249 Unknown_Attribute       0x0013   100   100   000    Pre-fail  Always       -       65

SMART Error Log not supported
SMART Self-test Log not supported
Note: selective self-test log revision number (0) not 1 implies that no selective self-test has ever been run
SMART Selective self-test log data structure revision number 0
Note: revision number not 1 implies that no selective self-test has ever been run
 SPAN  MIN_LBA  MAX_LBA  CURRENT_TEST_STATUS
    1        0        0  Not_testing
    2        0        0  Not_testing
    3        0        0  Not_testing
    4        0        0  Not_testing
    5        0        0  Not_testing
Selective self-test flags (0x0):
  After scanning selected spans, do NOT read-scan remainder of disk.
If Selective self-test is pending on power-up, resume after 0 minute delay.


Code: [Select]


#smartctl -a /dev/sdb
smartctl 5.42 2011-10-20 r3458 [i686-linux-2.6.18-348.1.1.el5PAE] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Device Model:     INTEL SSDSC2CW180A3
Serial Number:    CVCV2456038R180EGN
LU WWN Device Id: 5 001517 387e92351
Firmware Version: 400i
User Capacity:    180,045,766,656 bytes [180 GB]
Sector Size:      512 bytes logical/physical
Device is:        Not in smartctl database [for details use: -P showall]
ATA Version is:   8
ATA Standard is:  ACS-2 revision 3
Local Time is:    Thu Jan 31 17:09:35 2013 CST
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED

General SMART Values:
Offline data collection status:  (0x02) Offline data collection activity
                                        was completed without error.
                                        Auto Offline Data Collection: Disabled.
Self-test execution status:      (   0) The previous self-test routine completed
                                        without error or no self-test has ever
                                        been run.
Total time to complete Offline
data collection:                ( 2197) seconds.
Offline data collection
capabilities:                    (0x7f) SMART execute Offline immediate.
                                        Auto Offline data collection on/off support.
                                        Abort Offline collection upon new
                                        command.
                                        Offline surface scan supported.
                                        Self-test supported.
                                        Conveyance Self-test supported.
                                        Selective Self-test supported.
SMART capabilities:            (0x0003) Saves SMART data before entering
                                        power-saving mode.
                                        Supports SMART auto save timer.
Error logging capability:        (0x01) Error logging supported.
                                        General Purpose Logging supported.
Short self-test routine
recommended polling time:        (   1) minutes.
Extended self-test routine
recommended polling time:        (  48) minutes.
Conveyance self-test routine
recommended polling time:        (   2) minutes.
SCT capabilities:              (0x0021) SCT Status supported.
                                        SCT Data Table supported.

SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 10
Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:
ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME          FLAG     VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE      UPDATED  WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE
  5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct   0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
  9 Power_On_Hours          0x0032   000   000   000    Old_age   Always       -       146106198370334
 12 Power_Cycle_Count       0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       2
170 Unknown_Attribute       0x0033   100   100   010    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
171 Unknown_Attribute       0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
172 Unknown_Attribute       0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
174 Unknown_Attribute       0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       1
184 End-to-End_Error        0x0033   100   100   090    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
187 Reported_Uncorrect      0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       1
225 Load_Cycle_Count        0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       5947
226 Load-in_Time            0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       65535
227 Torq-amp_Count          0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       48
228 Power-off_Retract_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       65535
232 Available_Reservd_Space 0x0033   100   100   010    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
233 Media_Wearout_Indicator 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
241 Total_LBAs_Written      0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       5947
242 Total_LBAs_Read         0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       5569
249 Unknown_Attribute       0x0013   100   100   000    Pre-fail  Always       -       84

SMART Error Log not supported
SMART Self-test Log not supported
Note: selective self-test log revision number (0) not 1 implies that no selective self-test has ever been run
SMART Selective self-test log data structure revision number 0
Note: revision number not 1 implies that no selective self-test has ever been run
 SPAN  MIN_LBA  MAX_LBA  CURRENT_TEST_STATUS
    1        0        0  Not_testing
    2        0        0  Not_testing
    3        0        0  Not_testing
    4        0        0  Not_testing
    5        0        0  Not_testing
Selective self-test flags (0x0):
  After scanning selected spans, do NOT read-scan remainder of disk.
If Selective self-test is pending on power-up, resume after 0 minute delay.