On Sun, Jun 01, 2003 at 01:13:27AM +0200, Matthias Redlich wrote:
> Hello netbsd-i386 community,
> 
> I'm performing and comparing some benchmarks on a Linux server and on a
> NetBSD server at the moment.
> Of course, I'm trying to optimize the settings on both systems.
> 
> I've just optimized the settings for the harddrives of Linux
> installation. Now I'm searching for an equivalent to hdparm for NetBSD.
> Could you recommend me a tool?
> 
> It would also be kind if you told me any other tools for NetBSD which
> can be used to improve the performance. (not only hd performance)

NetBSD doesn't have a real equivalent to hdparm... it is designed to not
need one.

I looked up hdparm, and found this:

http://linux.oreillynet.com/pub/a/linux/2000/06/29/hdparm.html

I quote:

"Well, it's generally considered a good idea for any self-respecting
distribution to install itself in the kewlest, slickest, but SAFEST way
it possibly can. The above settings are virtually guaranteed to work on
any hardware you might throw at it. But since we know we're throwing
something more than a dusty, 8-year-old, 16-bit multi-IO card at it[...]"

The common Linux approach is "Leave settings at minimum and force the
user to be a developer - make them fiddle with settings to increase
performance."

The NetBSD approach is "Detect the controller and HD, and automatically
configure for the highest throughput supported by both devices."

From the boot messages where I'm typing this:

This machine detected an Intel 82371AB IDE controller, a Maxtor 34098H4
and a MATSHITADVD-ROM SR-8582. Although the HD supports Ultra-DMA mode
5, the kernel sets Ultra-DMA mode 2 because that's the best this
controller supports.

pciide0 at pci0 dev 4 function 1: Intel 82371AB IDE controller (PIIX4) (rev. 0x0 1)
pciide0: bus-master DMA support present
pciide0: primary channel wired to compatibility mode
wd0 at pciide0 channel 0 drive 1: <Maxtor 34098H4>
wd0: drive supports 16-sector PIO transfers, LBA addressing
wd0: 39083 MB, 16383 cyl, 16 head, 63 sec, 512 bytes/sect x 80043264 sectors
wd0: 32-bit data port
wd0: drive supports PIO mode 4, DMA mode 2, Ultra-DMA mode 5 (Ultra/100)
pciide0: primary channel interrupting at irq 14
wd0(pciide0:0:1): using PIO mode 4, Ultra-DMA mode 2 (Ultra/33) (using DMA data transfers)
pciide0: secondary channel wired to compatibility mode
atapibus0 at pciide0 channel 1: 2 targets
cd0 at atapibus0 drive 0: <MATSHITADVD-ROM SR-8582, , 0ACA> cdrom removable
cd0: 32-bit data port
cd0: drive supports PIO mode 4, DMA mode 2
pciide0: secondary channel interrupting at irq 15
cd0(pciide0:1:0): using PIO mode 4, DMA mode 2 (using DMA data transfers)

One tool of interest, for looking at (or setting) ata hard drive
paramters, is atactl.

pohl# atactl wd0 identify
Model: Maxtor 34098H4, Rev: YAH814Y0, Serial #: L4055B1C
Device type: ATA, fixed
Cylinders: 16383, heads: 16, sec/track: 63, total sectors: 80043264
Device capabilities:
        ATA standby timer values
        IORDY operation
        IORDY disabling
Device supports following standards:
ATA-1 ATA-2 ATA-3 ATA-4 
Command set support:
        NOP command
        READ BUFFER command
        WRITE BUFFER command
        Host Protected Area feature set
        look-ahead
        write cache
        Power Management feature set
        SMART feature set
        Advanced Power Management feature set
        DOWNLOAD MICROCODE command
Command sets/features enabled:
        look-ahead
        write cache
        SMART feature set

								David