ESX Network performance

[Schneemann]

Hi,

when I try to copy a VM from our ESX Host to our  NFS server, the network speed is about 5MB/s. Copying Files from inside  the VM to the NFS server the speed is about 50MB/s. Why is the Speed so  slow in the first case and how can I optimize the network performance.

Thank you

Andreas Kasper

[eeg3]

Is your ESX host's network/NIC entirely different from your guest network? Is the slowness to any site from your ESX host or just to the NFS server?

[jamesbowling]

I would first take a look at your management network as this is where you are seeing the slowness.

[malaysiavm]

it very much depend on your network setup, configuration and architecture. could be potential bottleneck somewhere else which had caused this

Regards,

Craig

http://malaysiavm.com

vExpert 2009 & 2010

Netapp NCIE, NCDA

[Schneemann]

Hi,

I'm not entirely sure, because I'm no longer in the office, but I think that the management nework and the guest network are using the same nic.

Yes everything related to the ESX and management is slow.

Any Ideas?

Thank You

Andreas Kasper

[jamesbowling]

Best practice would be to split your management network from your guest network.  I would do this first if you can.

[Schneemann]

Hi,

I have already split the management network from the guest network, but I have the same network performance problem. I discovered something else what is related to the network:

copying files from the NFS server to the ESX datastore (local hard drive) is fast

copying files from the ESX datastore to the NFS server is more than 10 times slower.

Some ideas?

Thank you,

Andreas Kasper

[idle-jam]

can you check on the ESX host's network uplink. are all connected on full duplex with says 1 gigabit .. ?

[Schneemann]

yes all nics are full duplex with 1gigabit speed.

[idle-jam]

looks good, let look into the virtual machine. are the virtual machine assigned with the right gateway? also what is the vmnic type used? (vmxnet3 and etc) maybe you could change it. and lastly does it happen across all VMs?

[Schneemann]

I think that it is a problem with the ESX server and not the VMs, because the network speed within the VMs is really good. Only copying files from ESX to the NFS server is 10 times slower (and only in this direction).

But we have this speed issue an all our esx servers.