NFS vs.

CIFS (SMB)
Benchmarking the performance
Disclaimer:
These benchmark results are results from our lab environment.
They have informational character only and are not transferable to a real
environment (your network!).
We do not claim the integrity of a real benchmarking between NFS vs. CIFS
(SMB), but we assure you that the benchmarks are the actual results from our
environment.

Scenario:
To measure the transfer rate of the Network File System (NFS) and the Common
Internet File System (CIFS), we use different benchmark tests.
For NFS we use NFS v. 3. The Common Internet File System (CIFS) is the succesor of
the well known Server Message Blocks (SMB).
All tests use only one client. This means the results are not transferable to a real
network with many clients connected to a server. The client mounts different shares on
different servers (see Configuration).
The different benchmarks we use are:
Read File: Uses a program that reads a whole file from a share. We use this
benchmark with different file sizes (5GB, 100MB, 10MB, 1MB)
Copy:

Copies files or folders from the local drive to the server share and copies
the files or folders back to the local drive. We use a file of 5GB size and
3 folders (size 1GB) with:
A 10 * 100MB (big)
B 100 * 10 MB (medium)
C 1000 * 1MB (small)
All the files were created with /dev/urandom to omit compression of the file transfer.
For all benchmarks we measure the time for completion and calculate the transfer rate.

Dietmar Schmidt, HOB, 03/09/2009

http://www.hobsoft.com

Page 1

Configuration:

Client:
Linux, 2 Quad Core CPU at 3.33 GHZ, 3GB RAM, Raid 1 S-ATA, 1GB NIC
Server 1:
Opensolaris, 1 Quad Core 3,00 GHz, 8GB, S-ATA RAID, 1GB NIC
Server 2:
Linux, 1 Dual Core CPU at 2.8GHz, 6 GB RAM, S-ATA, 1GB NIC
= slowest server
Server 3:
Windows 2008, 2 Quad Core 3,16GHz , 16 GB RAM, S-ATA RAID, 1GB NIC
=fastest server

To measure the transferrate for CIFS and NFS, we use different Benchmarks.
Each Benchmark was applied several times on each share.
The following table lists the reference (used in this documentation) and a description
of the benchmark:
Reference
Copy 5GB
Copy small
Copy medium
Copy big
read 5GB
read small
read medium
read big

Description
copy one 5 GB file from/to share
copy a folder with 1000 Files of 1 MB size from/to share
copy a folder with 100 Files of 10 MB size from/to share
copy a folder with 10 Files of 100 MB size from/to share
use a program that reads a 5 GB file from a share
use a program that reads a 1 MB file from a share
use a program that reads a 10 MB file from a share
use a program that reads a 100 MB file from a share

The following table lists the file sizes :

Reference
5GB
Small
Medium
Big

Bytes of file
Bytes of folder Number of files
5242880000
1 File
1048576
1048576000 1000 Files of 1048576 bytes
10485760
1048576000 100 Files of 10485760 bytes
104857600
1048576000 10 Files of 104857600 bytes

Dietmar Schmidt, HOB, 03/09/2009

http://www.hobsoft.com

Page 2

Read File
The read file benchmark reads files of different sizes on the server
share. A program on the client measures the time it takes for the whole
file to be read.

Read 5 GB file
Seconds

MB/s

Read 100 MB file

Mb/s

Seconds

CIFS on Server 1
106.138
105.840
106.409
107.248
106.408

49.397
49.536
49.271
48.886
49.271

86.079
83.430
85.525
86.074
84.923

Mb/s

CIFS on Server 1
395.175
396.287
394.168
391.085
394.172

2.135
2.233
2.114
2.166
2.210

688.629
667.436
684.203
688.595
679.383

1.335
1.415
1.501
1.290
1.275

NFS on Server 1
60.908
62.842
61.302
60.911
61.737

MB/s
49.114
46.958
49.602
48.411
47.447

392.909
375.665
396.812
387.286
379.575

NFS on Server 1
78.545
74.104
69.858
81.285
82.241

628.360
592.834
558.868
650.280
657.930

NFS on Server 2 (Sync)

NFS on Server 2 (Sync)

68.686
62.310
69.555
68.196
65.835

4.760
4.864
4.501
4.306
4.223

76.331
84.142
75.377
76.880
79.637

610.649
673.135
603.020
615.037
637.093

NFS on Server 2 (Async)

60.880
62.981
62.335
62.696
62.908

86.118
83.245
84.108
83.624
83.342

37.239
38.315
38.906
37.163
38.906

7.087
5.881
6.467
4.431
4.494

297.910
306.521
311.252
297.302
311.252

3.107
2.948
2.833
2.963
2.951

48.252
47.971
48.617
48.174
48.311

386.013
383.767
388.938
385.393
386.490

2.305
2.183
2.133
2.158
2.117

14.796
17.830
16.214
23.665
23.333

118.366
142.639
129.714
189.316
186.662

CIFS on Server 2

CIFS on Server 3
108.657
109.293
107.840
108.832
108.523

176.231
172.463
186.372
194.812
198.641

NFS on Server 2 (Async)

688.946
665.963
672.865
668.991
666.736

CIFS on Server 2
140.791
136.836
134.756
141.079
134.756

22.029
21.558
23.297
24.352
24.830

33.749
35.569
37.013
35.389
35.533

269.991
284.553
296.103
283.112
284.263

CIFS on Server 3

Dietmar Schmidt, HOB, 03/09/2009

http://www.hobsoft.com

45.491
48.034
49.160
48.590
49.531

363.931
384.270
393.277
388.721
396.250
Page 3

Read 10 MB file
Seconds

MB/s

Mb/s

Read 1 MB file
Seconds

CIFS on Server 1
0.249
0.224
0.301
0.240
0.306

42.111
46.811
34.836
43.691
34.267

336.892
374.491
278.691
349.525
274.138

0.021
0.021
0.046
0.040
0.022

292.286
432.402
446.203
423.667
735.843
356.962

0.013
0.013
0.031
0.030
0.013
0.014

NFS on Server 1
0.287
0.194
0.188
0.198
0.114
0.235

36.536
54.050
55.775
52.958
91.980
44.620

16.618
21.710
9.664
17.712
13.426

132.941
173.677
77.314
141.699
107.409

NFS on Server 2 (Async)

0.487
0.387
0.608
0.442
0.435

21.531
27.095
17.246
23.723
24.105

Mb/s

49.932
49.932
22.795
26.214
47.663

399.458
399.458
182.361
209.715
381.300

NFS on Server 1

NFS on Server 2 (Sync)

0.631
0.483
1.085
0.592
0.781

MB/s

CIFS on Server 1

172.251
216.760
137.971
189.788
192.842

80.660
80.660
33.825
34.953
80.660
74.898

645.278
645.278
270.600
279.620
645.278
599.186

NFS on Server 2 (Sync)

0.085
0.013
0.057
0.056
0.014

12.336
80.660
18.396
18.725
74.898

98.690
645.278
147.169
149.797
599.186

NFS on Server 2 (Async)

0.013
0.013
0.040
0.039
0.048

CIFS on Server 2

80.660
80.660
26.214
26.887
21.845

645.278
645.278
209.715
215.093
174.763

CIFS on Server 2

0.311

33.716

269.730

0.046

22.795

182.361

0.321

32.666

261.327

0.028

37.449

299.593

0.297
0.334
0.378

35.306
31.394
27.740

282.445
251.156
221.921

0.043
0.038
0.028

24.385
27.594
37.449

195.084
220.753
299.593

391.991
381.300
386.572
386.572
384.799

0.023
0.023
0.022
0.023
0.022

CIFS on Server 3
0.214
0.220
0.217
0.217
0.218

48.999
47.663
48.321
48.321
48.100

CIFS on Server 3

Dietmar Schmidt, HOB, 03/09/2009

http://www.hobsoft.com

45.590
45.590
47.663
45.590
47.663

364.722
364.722
381.300
364.722
381.300

Page 4

Read 5 GB file
100.000
90.000
80.000
70.000

MB/s

60.000
50.000
40.000
30.000
20.000
10.000
0.000

CIFS
NFS
Server 1

NFS sync

NFS async
Server 2

CIFS

CIFS
Server 3

CIFS

CIFS
Server 3

Read 100 MB file

90.000
80.000
70.000

MB/s

60.000
50.000
40.000
30.000
20.000
10.000
0.000

CIFS
NFS
Server 1

Dietmar Schmidt, HOB, 03/09/2009

NFS sync

NFS async
Server 2

http://www.hobsoft.com

Page 5

Read 10 MB file
100.000
90.000
80.000
70.000

MB/s

60.000
50.000
40.000
30.000
20.000
10.000
0.000

CIFS

NFS

NFS sync

Server1

NFS async
Server 2

CIFS

CIFS
Server 3

CIFS

CIFS
Server 3

Read 1 MB file
90.000
80.000
70.000

MB/s

60.000
50.000
40.000
30.000
20.000
10.000
0.000

CIFS
NFS
Server 1

Dietmar Schmidt, HOB, 03/09/2009

NFS sync

NFS async
Server 2

http://www.hobsoft.com

Page 6

Copy 5 GB
This benchmark copies a 5 GB file.
First we copy the file from the client's hard drive to the server share,
then we copy the file from the server share back to the local drive.

To server share
Minutes Seconds

MB/s

To local drive
Mb/s

Minutes

Seconds

CIFS on Server 1
1
2
1
1
1

58
3
59
43
55

44.431
42.625
44.058
50.902
45.590

9
11
0
13
9

27.740
27.450
29.127
27.165
27.740

355.449
341.000
352.463
407.214
364.722

2
2
1
2
2

54
54
58
54
56

30.131
30.131
29.454
30.131
29.789

221.921
219.597
233.017
217.321
221.921

1
1
1
1
1

6
6
6
8
5

41.610
41.610
41.610
40.960
41.943

4
4
4
4
4

4
4
58
1
5

42.281
42.281
44.431
43.330
41.943

4
4
4
4
4

338.250
338.250
355.449
346.637
335.544

2
2
2
2
2

13
13
12
13
12

71.820
71.820
72.818
71.820
72.818

33
30
36
34
31

56.375
58.254
54.613
55.775
57.614

451.000
466.034
436.907
446.203
460.913

14
9
11
6
14

20.641
21.056
20.888
21.313
20.641

165.130
168.446
167.104
170.500
165.130

574.562
574.562
582.542
574.562
582.542

2
2
3
2
2

51
26
37
27
35

18.017
19.710
18.927
19.636
19.065

144.134
157.681
151.419
157.090
152.520

CIFS on Server 2

CIFS on Server 3
1
1
1
1
1

346.637
341.000
352.463
343.795
335.544

NFS on Server 2 (Async)

332.881
332.881
332.881
327.680
335.544

CIFS on Server 2
2
2
1
2
2

43.330
42.625
44.058
42.974
41.943

NFS on Server 2 (Sync)

241.052
241.052
235.635
241.052
238.313

NFS on Server 2 (Async)

2
2
2
2
2

1
3
59
2
5

NFS on Server 1

NFS on Server 2 (Sync)

2
2
2
2
2

Mb/s

CIFS on Server 1

NFS on Server 1
3
3
3
3
3

MB/s

48
43
49
50
40

31.208
32.165
31.023
30.840
32.768

249.661
257.319
248.184
246.724
262.144

CIFS on Server 3

Dietmar Schmidt, HOB, 03/09/2009

http://www.hobsoft.com

9
7
22
8
7

40.642
41.283
25.955
40.960
41.283

325.140
330.260
207.639
327.680
330.260
Page 7

Copy 5 GB file to server share

80.000

70.000

60.000

MB/s

50.000

40.000

30.000

20.000

10.000

0.000

CIFS
NFS
Server 1

NFS sync

NFS async
Server 2

CIFS

CIFS
Server 3

CIFS

CIFS
Server 3

Copy 5 GB file to local drive

70.000

60.000

50.000

MB/s

40.000

30.000

20.000

10.000

0.000

CIFS
NFS
Server 1

Dietmar Schmidt, HOB, 03/09/2009

NFS sync

NFS async
Server 2

http://www.hobsoft.com

Page 8

Copy 1 GB Big Files

This benchmark copies a folder with 10 files (file size is 100 MB).
First we copy the folder from the client's hard drive to the server share,
then we copy the folder from the server share back to the local drive.

To Server Share
Minutes

Seconds

To Local Drive

MB/s

Mb/s

Minutes

Seconds

CIFS on Server 1
0
0
0
0
0

19
19
19
26
19

55.188
55.188
55.188
40.330
55.188

MB/s

Mb/s

CIFS on Server 1
441.506
441.506
441.506
322.639
441.506

0
0
0
0
0

NFS on Server 1

23
24
23
24
23

45.590
43.691
45.590
43.691
45.590

364.722
349.525
364.722
349.525
364.722

NFS on Server 1

0
0

32
43

32.768
24.385

262.144
195.084

0
0

16
18

65.536
58.254

524.288
466.034

0
0
0

33
36
36

31.775
29.127
29.127

254.200
233.017
233.017

0
0
0

16
17
17

65.536
61.681
61.681

524.288
493.448
493.448

NFS on Server 2 (Sync)

NFS on Server 2 (Sync)

0
0
0
0

38
39
41
41

27.594
26.887
25.575
25.575

220.753
215.093
204.600
204.600

0
0
0
0

42
45
46
45

24.966
23.302
22.795
23.302

199.729
186.414
182.361
186.414

38

27.594

220.753

45

23.302

186.414

NFS on Server 2 (Async)

NFS on Server 2 (Async)

47

22.310

178.481

52

20.165

161.319

48

21.845

174.763

55

19.065

152.520

0
0
0

36
40
44

29.127
26.214
23.831

233.017
209.715
190.650

0
0
0

50
52
49

20.972
20.165
21.400

167.772
161.319
171.196

CIFS on Server 2

CIFS on Server 2

24

43.691

349.525

31

33.825

270.600

0
0
0
0

22
31
29
24

47.663
33.825
36.158
43.691

381.300
270.600
289.262
349.525

0
0
0
0

30
33
31
31

34.953
31.775
33.825
33.825

279.620
254.200
270.600
270.600

441.506
441.506
441.506
419.430
441.506

0
0
0
0
0

CIFS on Server 3
0
0
0
0
0

19
19
19
20
19

55.188
55.188
55.188
52.429
55.188

CIFS on Server 3

Dietmar Schmidt, HOB, 03/09/2009

http://www.hobsoft.com

23
23
25
24
24

45.590
45.590
41.943
43.691
43.691

364.722
364.722
335.544
349.525
349.525
Page 9

Copy big files to server share

60.000

50.000

MB/s

40.000

30.000

20.000

10.000

0.000

CIFS
NFS
Server 1

NFS sync

NFS async
Server 2

CIFS

CIFS
Server 3

CIFS

CIFS
Server 3

Copy big files to local drive

70.000

60.000

50.000

MB/s

40.000

30.000

20.000

10.000

0.000

CIFS
NFS
Server 1

Dietmar Schmidt, HOB, 03/09/2009

NFS sync

NFS async
Server 2

http://www.hobsoft.com

Page 10

Copy 1 GB Medium Files

This benchmark copies a folder with 100 files (file size is 10 MB).
First we copy the folder from the client's hard drive to the server share,
then we copy the folder from the server share back to the local drive.

To Server Share
Minutes Seconds

MB/s

To Local Drive

Mb/s

Minutes

Seconds

CIFS on Server 1
0
0
0
0
0

25
26
26
29
25

41.943
40.330
40.330
36.158
41.943

MB/s

Mb/s

CIFS on Server 1
335.544
322.639
322.639
289.262
335.544

0
0
0
0
0

NFS on Server 1

28
29
26
26
29

37.449
36.158
40.330
40.330
36.158

299.593
289.262
322.639
322.639
289.262

NFS on Server 1

0
0

42
47

24.966
22.310

199.729
178.481

0
0

24
25

43.691
41.943

349.525
335.544

0
0
0

48
52
50

21.845
20.165
20.972

174.763
161.319
167.772

0
0
0

24
23
25

43.691
45.590
41.943

349.525
364.722
335.544

NFS on Server 2 (Sync)

NFS on Server 2 (Sync)

0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
1

41
43
41
39
46

25.575
24.385
25.575
26.887
22.795

204.600
195.084
204.600
215.093
182.361

NFS on Server 2 (Async)

57
58
51
53
3

18.396
18.079
20.560
19.784
16.644

147.169
144.631
164.483
158.276
133.153

NFS on Server 2 (Async)

0
0

41
37

25.575
28.340

204.600
226.719

1
1

8
2

15.420
16.913

123.362
135.300

0
0
0

36
29
30

29.127
36.158
34.953

233.017
289.262
279.620

1
0
0

4
54
54

16.384
19.418
19.418

131.072
155.345
155.345

CIFS on Server 2

CIFS on Server 2

31

33.825

270.600

33

31.775

254.200

0
0
0
0

32
32
32
32

32.768
32.768
32.768
32.768

262.144
262.144
262.144
262.144

0
0
0
0

33
33
35
33

31.775
31.775
29.959
31.775

254.200
254.200
239.675
254.200

299.593
310.689
322.639
322.639
322.639

0
0
0
0
0

CIFS on Server 3
0
0
0
0
0

28
27
26
26
26

37.449
38.836
40.330
40.330
40.330

CIFS on Server 3

Dietmar Schmidt, HOB, 03/09/2009

http://www.hobsoft.com

29
29
26
38
29

36.158
36.158
40.330
27.594
36.158

289.262
289.262
322.639
220.753
289.262
Page 11

Copy medium files to server share

45.000
40.000
35.000

MB/s

30.000
25.000
20.000
15.000
10.000
5.000
0.000

CIFS
NFS
Server 1

NFS sync

NFS async
Server 2

CIFS

CIFS
Server 3

CIFS

CIFS
Server 3

Copy medium files to local drive

50.000
45.000
40.000
35.000

MB/s

30.000
25.000
20.000
15.000
10.000
5.000
0.000

CIFS
NFS
Server 1

Dietmar Schmidt, HOB, 03/09/2009

NFS sync

NFS async
Server 2

http://www.hobsoft.com

Page 12

COPY 1 GB Small Files

This benchmark copies a folder with 1,000 files (file size is 1 MB).
First we copy the folder from the client's hard drive to the server share,
then we copy the folder from the server share back to the local drive.

To Server Share
Minutes Seconds

MB/s

To Local Drive

Mb/s

Minutes

Seconds

CIFS on Server 1
0
0
0
0
0

42
39
43
39
42

24.966
26.887
24.385
26.887
24.966

MB/s

Mb/s

CIFS on Server 1
199.729
215.093
195.084
215.093
199.729

0
0
0
0
0

NFS on Server 1

34
34
35
35
32

30.840
30.840
29.959
29.959
32.768

246.724
246.724
239.675
239.675
262.144

NFS on Server 1

0
0

57
57

18.396
18.396

147.169
147.169

0
0

24
23

43.691
45.590

349.525
364.722

0
1
0

57
0
58

18.396
17.476
18.079

147.169
139.810
144.631

0
0
0

23
24
23

45.590
43.691
45.590

364.722
349.525
364.722

NFS on Server 2 (Sync)

0
0
0
0
0

49
51
55
52
55

21.400
20.560
19.065
20.165
19.065

NFS on Server 2 (Sync)

171.196
164.483
152.520
161.319
152.520

0
0
1
0
0

NFS on Server 2 (Async)

47
49
3
56
54

22.310
21.400
16.644
18.725
19.418

178.481
171.196
133.153
149.797
155.345

NFS on Server 2 (Async)

0
0

48
41

21.845
25.575

174.763
204.600

1
0

8
53

15.420
19.784

123.362
158.276

0
0
0

43
43
42

24.385
24.385
24.966

195.084
195.084
199.729

0
0
0

58
52
52

18.079
20.165
20.165

144.631
161.319
161.319

CIFS on Server 2
0
0
0
0
0

46
45
47
46
46

22.795
23.302
22.310
22.795
22.795

CIFS on Server 2
182.361
186.414
178.481
182.361
182.361

0
0
0
0
0

167.772
209.715
209.715
209.715
209.715

0
0
0
0
0

CIFS on Server 3
0
0
0
0
0

50
40
40
40
40

20.972
26.214
26.214
26.214
26.214

42
44
43
45
42

24.966
23.831
24.385
23.302
24.966

199.729
190.650
195.084
186.414
199.729

CIFS on Server 3

Dietmar Schmidt, HOB, 03/09/2009

http://www.hobsoft.com

24
25
24
25
24

43.691
41.943
43.691
41.943
43.691

349.525
335.544
349.525
335.544
349.525
Page 13

Copy small files to server share

30.000

25.000

MB/s

20.000

15.000

10.000

5.000

0.000

CIFS
NFS
Server 1

NFS sync

NFS async
Server 2

CIFS

CIFS
Server 3

CIFS

CIFS
Server 3

Copy small files to local drive

50.000
45.000
40.000
35.000

MB/s

30.000
25.000
20.000
15.000
10.000
5.000
0.000

CIFS
NFS
Server 1

Dietmar Schmidt, HOB, 03/09/2009

NFS sync

NFS async
Server 2

http://www.hobsoft.com

Page 14