RAID 5
Moving on to RAID 5 write, the HP drops out since it doesn't use RAID. Again, aside from some cache boost below 256 MB file size, the DS508's retested performance pretty much matches the original. It also once again beats out the Thecus at larger file sizes, this time starting at 512 MB.
Figure 5: Synology DS508 RAID 5 competitive write comparison - 1000 Mbps LAN
Figure 6, showing RAID 5 read performance is pretty hard to sort out. But there is an average performance improvement over the original DS508 test, since throughput does not fall off above 256 MB file size. It's easier to compare the calculated average chart results which are 57.9, 56.9 and 48.3 MB/s for the NETGEAR, Thecus and DS508 respectively.
Figure 6: Synology DS508 RAID 5 competitive read comparison - 1000 Mbps LAN
Vista SP1 File Copy
The new test procedure includes file copy tests using a Vista SP1 client. Table 1 compares the DS508 with its closest rival, the Thecus M3800. For both RAID 0 and 5, the DS508 beats out the M3800. But for reads, the Thecus clearly has the edge.
| Test Description | Synology DS508 (MB/s) | Thecus M3800 (MB/s) |
|---|---|---|
| RAID 0 Write |
36.3
|
32.2
|
| RAID 0 Read |
59.9
|
73.6
|
| RAID 5 Write |
28.7
|
21.9
|
| RAID 5 Read |
57.3
|
69.2
|
Table 1: File copy comparison - 1000 Mbps LAN
Conclusion
The bottom line of all this is that the DS508's retest shows a remarkably even performance across file sizes and confirms that the original test bed did not limit the 508's performance.
All retest data for the DS508 has been entered into the NAS Chart database so that you can now compare it in confidence against other products tested with the new process.
