Home > Ask the Storage Technology Experts > Storage Networking: SAN/NAS Questions & Answers > How to minimize I/O latency
Ask The Storage Expert: Questions & Answers
EMAIL THIS

How to minimize I/O latency

Greg Schulz EXPERT RESPONSE FROM: Greg Schulz

Pose a Question
Other Storage Categories
Meet all Storage Experts
Become an Expert for this site


Digg This!    StumbleUpon Toolbar StumbleUpon    Bookmark with Delicious Del.icio.us   


>
QUESTION POSED ON: 04 January 2006
How do you minimize the latency during communication between the storage device and the system? In our case it has to happen through the router. Is there any alternative?


BROWSE BY TAG
Storage Networking: SAN/NAS,   SAN switch,   SAN (storage area network),   Advanced storage area network,   Advanced Data Storage,   Storage area network components and architecture,   Data Storage Basics,   Storage area network,   Connectivity and protocols,   Fibre Channel (FC) SAN,   ISCSI SAN,   VIEW ALL TAGS

Digg This!    StumbleUpon Toolbar StumbleUpon    Bookmark with Delicious Del.icio.us   


RELATED CONTENT
Storage Networking: SAN/NAS
Upgrading operating systems for two fabrics
Data centers and synchronous replication
Network File Sharing vs. Common Internet File System
Use of RAID with multiple drives
How to add more channels to a network
Achieving secure data storage for shared read/write I/O operation
SAN server accommodation
Offsite vs. onsite storage
SATA on a Dell Dimension 4400
FCID on two separate fabrics

SAN switch
Storage Decisions Chicago 2009 Session Downloads
Storage Decisions Session Downloads: Managing Storage Networks Track (Chicago 2009)
Dueling directors
Brocade slams Cisco in SAN switching, gains in Fibre Channel director market
Cisco shops look ahead to FCoE
Brocade rolls out FCoE switch, adapters
QLogic delivers single-ASIC FCoE adapters
Fibre Channel SAN switches tutorial
Storage Decisions San Francisco 2008 Session Downloads
Storage Decisions Session Downloads: Storage Systems & Networking Track (San Francisco 2008)

Fibre Channel (FC) SAN
Cisco sees ratified T11 standard driving adoption of Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE)
Storage Decisions Chicago 2009 Session Downloads
Storage Decisions Session Downloads: Managing Storage Networks Track (Chicago 2009)
Gamer's DRAM solid-state disk technology leaves Fibre Channel in the dust
SSD trends in enterprise storage
Brocade to add FCoE blade to DCX in 2010; disagrees with Cisco on FCoE adoption rate
Dueling directors
Brocade slams Cisco in SAN switching, gains in Fibre Channel director market
Storage-area networks to become increasingly object based
QLogic buys NetXen for 10 Gigabit Ethernet silicon

RELATED GLOSSARY TERMS
Terms from Whatis.com − the technology online dictionary
intelligent switch  (SearchStorage.com)
logical unit number  (SearchStorage.com)
oversubscription  (SearchStorage.com)
pathing  (WhatIs.com)
SAN routing  (SearchStorage.com)
switch-on-a-chip  (SearchStorage.com)
switching fabric  (SearchStorage.com)

RELATED RESOURCES
2020software.com, trial software downloads for accounting software, ERP software, CRM software and business software systems
Search Bitpipe.com for the latest white papers and business webcasts
Whatis.com, the online computer dictionary


To minimize the latency between a server and a storage device you want to make sure that there are no bottlenecks, congestion or other points that would add latency and impact performance.

Not knowing the details of your environment, I will assume that by "system" you are referring to a server of some sort. I will also make an assumption that since you mention a router, that there is thus some sort of network exists between your server and storage device.

The more items that sit between an application on a server and the storage device will contribute to overall latency. These items include software layers (file systems, volume managers and network and device drivers), network layers (protocols, interfaces, switches and routers, cabling, distance, bandwidth, effective latency) and the interfaces on the storage device. So, the fewer the layers, the less overhead and lower the latency should be.

Do you currently have a latency performance issue with the router or are you concerned about a potential challenge? If you are encountering performance problems, test the performance without the router and verify that the router and applicable networks are adequately configured and have the most current firmware and software.




Search and Browse the Expert Answer Center
Search and browse more than 25,000 question and answer pairs from more than 250 TechTarget industry experts.
Browse our Expert Advice



Search for Data Management Tools and Tiered Storage Reseller Solutions
TechTarget Storage Media
Storage Magazine View this month\\'s issue and subscribe today.
Storage Decisions Apply online for free conference admission.
SearchStorage.com
HomeNewsMagazineTopicsLearningMultimediaWhite PapersBlogsEventsAbout Us

About Us  |  Contact Us  |  For Advertisers  |  For Business Partners  |  Site Index  |  RSS
TechTarget provides technology professionals with the information they need to perform their jobs - from developing strategy, to making cost-effective purchase decisions and managing their organizations' technology projects - with its network of technology-specific websites, events and online magazines.

TechTarget Corporate Web Site  |  Media Kits  |  Site Map




All Rights Reserved, Copyright 2000 - 2009, TechTarget | Read our Privacy Policy
  TechTarget - The IT Media ROI Experts