Linux filesystems part 3: Comparing the standard filesystems

By Chris Samuels , LinuxWorld.com, 09/11/07

Comparisons

Standard filesystems

See a slideshow of the graphics with this article.

Timing Results

Bonnie++ Results

Test	ext2	ext3	xfs	jfs	reiserfs
Total	3232.9	2509.9	2782.4	3064.5	2531.8
Extract kernel sources	2.7	4.0	8.1	10.5	3.1
Extract GCC sources	4.0	5.4	13.6	18.7	5.0
Recursive random file	22.7	22.5	22.7	22.1	25.0
Configure GCC	2.0	2.1	2.0	1.9	1.5
Kernbench	824.5	828.1	832.2	847.6	831.4
GCC make-j16 bootstrap	1288.3	1290.4	1307.3	1387.3	1273.9
Remove kernel source	0.3	0.7	6.6	12.1	1.2
Bonnie++ file operations	403.3	7.9	145.6	193.4	18.1
Remove GCC tree	0.9	1.8	7.4	21.5	2.8
tiobench threaded I/O	54.9	59.9	51.1	54.9	66.2
Bonnie++ intelligent I/O	629.1	286.6	385.4	443.8	303.3

Test	ext2	ext3	xfs	jfs	reiserfs
Sequential create/sec	651	53412	2894	5562	29107
Sequential stats/sec	+++++	+++++	+++++	+++++	+++++
Sequential delete/sec	204531	60123	4602	2761	24549
Random create/sec	639	52744	2643	1556	28179
Random stat/sec	+++++	+++++	+++++	+++++	+++++
Random delete/sec	1204	59555	2109	1432	16623
Block writes KB/sec	648084	275239	617869	327055	359405
Block rewrites KB/sec	123908	115008	128171	128943	116784
Block read KB/sec	294471	309794	246910	279747	215436
Random seeks/sec	1007	991.9	1404	1060	989.1

Emerging filesystems

Timing Results

Bonnie++ Results

Test	ChunkFS	NILFS	btrfs	ext4	reiserf4	ZFS/FUSE	ZFS/OpenSolaris

Sequential create/sec	N/A	495	33454	48103	54286	3446	25833
Sequential stats/sec	N/A	+++++	+++++	+++++	+++++	4155	56906
Sequential delete/sec	N/A	118726	37457	52397	21880	727	22659
Random create/sec	N/A	495	34521	52234	23215	1195	17033
Random stat/sec	N/A	+++++	+++++	+++++	+++++	3250	52337
Random delete/sec	N/A	993	31331	57264	21318	205	17519
Block writes KB/sec	N/A	102669	101102	291673	446526	27017	176336
Block rewrites KB/sec	N/A	60190	46907	103971	122194	11529	142455
Block read KB/sec	N/A	177609	121205	281596	173377	31963	777394
Random seeks/sec	N/A	519.6	257.8	1245	1249	273.1	857.1

Test	ChunkFS	NILFS	btrfs	ext4	reiserf4	ZFS/FUSE	ZFS/OpenSolaris
Total	N/A	3870.5	3268.5	2527.0	2732.8	23989.0	N/A
Extract kernel sources	47.5	5.5	6.3	4.0	4.5	76.7	22.7
Extract GCC sources	116.2	8.2	8.0	5.6	6.1	111.0	23.4
Recursive random file	26.2	22.4	23.0	22.8	23.0	113.3	62.2
Configure GCC	Fail	1.9	2.0	2.1	1.9	3.1	4.4
Kernbench	Fail	827.0	870.9	828.3	922.2	2202.2	N/A
GCC make-j16 bootstrap	Crash	1293.6	1411.1	1293.3	1344.9	16966.0	N/A
Remove kernel source	N/A	0.7	1.6	0.7	10.2	19.1	N/A
Bonnie++ file operations	N/A	517.6	12.5	8.5	16.6	819.0	24.3
Remove GCC tree	N/A	2.7	3.1	1.8	11.2	39.7	N/A
tiobench threaded I/O	106.5	155.6	58.9	54.9	79.0	374.7	103.6
Bonnie++ intelligent I/O	N/A	1084.4	774.5	300.6	313.0	3273.0	276.6

All together now!

Timing Results

Comparison Graphs of Individual Tests

Test	ext2	ext3	xfs	jfs	reiserf	ChunkFS	NILFS	btrfs	ext4	reiserf4	ZFS/FUSE	ZFS/OpenSolaris

Sequential create/sec	651	53412	2894	5562	29107	N/A	495	33454	48103	54286	3446	25833
Sequential stats/sec	+++++	+++++	+++++	+++++	+++++	N/A	+++++	+++++	+++++	+++++	4155	56906
Sequential delete/sec	204531	60123	4602	2761	24549	N/A	118726	37457	52397	21880	727	22659
Random create/sec	639	52744	2643	1556	28179	N/A	495	34521	52234	23215	1195	17033
Random stat/sec	+++++	+++++	+++++	+++++	+++++	N/A	+++++	+++++	+++++	+++++	3250	52337
Random delete/sec	1204	59555	2109	1432	16623	N/A	993	31331	57264	21318	205	17519
Block writes KB/sec	648084	275239	617869	327055	359405	N/A	102669	101102	291673	446526	27017	176336
Block rewrites KB/sec	123908	115008	128171	128943	116784	N/A	60190	46907	103971	122194	11529	142455
Block read KB/sec	294471	309794	246910	279747	215436	N/A	177609	121205	281596	173377	31963	777394
Random seeks/sec	1007	991.9	1404	1060	989.1	N/A	519.6	257.8	1245	1249	273.1	857.1

The scale on the lefthand side is in seconds, where less is better (faster). Filesystems with no bar shown failed that test.

FIGURE 7: Extract kernel sources (in seconds, lower is better)

FIGURE 8: Extract GCC sources (in seconds, lower is better)

FIGURE 9: Recursive random file test (in seconds, lower is better)

FIGURE 10: Configure GCC (in seconds, lower is better)

FIGURE 11: kernbench test (in seconds, lower is better)

FIGURE 12: Build GCC with “-j16 bootstrap” (in seconds, lower is better)

FIGURE 13: Remove kernel sources (in seconds, lower is better)

FIGURE 14: Bonnie++ benchmark, file operations (in seconds, lower is better)

FIGURE 15: Remove GCC sources (in seconds, lower is better)

FIGURE 16: tiobench threaded I/O test (in seconds, lower is better)

FIGURE 17: Bonnie++ intelligent I/O test (in seconds, lower is better)

Bonnie++ Results

Graph of file operations per second for all filesystems

(FIGURE 18)

Graph of bandwidth measured for Block I/O for all filesystems

(FIGURE 19)

Conclusions

Innovation

There is a great range of innovation in the various emerging filesystems tested here. It ranges from the rather conservative ext4 model of extending an existing filesystem with some new features, all the way through porting an existing stable filesystem to a new platform (ZFS/FUSE) to completely new code bases that integrate some of the current hot concepts in filesystem design (btrfs & nilfs).

CommentsAdd to the discussion | Register | Learn about community

RE: Linux filesystems part 3: Comparing the standard filesystems By Cherev on September 20, 2007, 12:26 am Reply | Read entire comment Seems to me that all this filesystem ferment is beside the point for those who need stability and predictability. Wouldn't ext3, conjoined with a kernel module (or...

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