Bad network throughput

[dagkl]

Cannot get very good throughput from my Esx 3.5 server. I have tried copying to and from vms and to and from the service console on my esx-server. I am never getting more than 1 megabyte pr second. Theoretically it should be about 10-12 megabyte pr second.

I have tried three different ways of copying. With Winscp directly connected to the esx-server with a cisco asa in the middle, through rdp to a vm on the esx and finally I used vmware converter to add a vm from a workstation.

While the winscp gave 1900 KBps, the rdp gave about 1 MBps. The funny thing is that running the vmware converter on a vm consisting of 8GB of data took 40 minutes giving about 6-7 MBps

Can anyone explain this?

[Rumple]

The service console is rate limited both on the networking and the disk access so you won't see fast transfer rates there. If you are using Gbit nic's, ensure both the switch and the ESX host is set to auto, If its 100Mbit, ensure you have hardcoded both sides to 100/Full.

run esxcfg-nics -l to see what your nic speed/duplex settings are set at and then confirm the switch is setting the same settings. If you want to see what vmnic is assigned to which vswitch run esxcfg-vswitch -l

[kjb007]

To add winscp is also running an encrypted tunnel, so your transfer rate will be even slower because of that.

If your vm is getting approximately the same if not slower speeds than the service console, then make sure your NICs are recognized correctly in the vm as well, and double-check that vmware tools are installed and running. If you converted a vm from workstation that already had the vmware tools installed, then uninstall the vmware tools, and reinstall them from ESX.

-KjB

[dagkl]

How can I find out what my Host settings are regarding nic speed?

I would try to go for the Hardcoded 100Mbit/full all the way, since I have no other Giga-equipment.

Will let you know what happens. What about the guests, what speed do they need, auto or 100?

[Rumple]

The guests are left at auto since the vmware tools takes care of things

http://sysdigg.blogspot.com/2008/02/change-ethernet-settings-in-vmware-esx.html

[weinstein5]

From the service console command line you can use esxcfg-nics -l to list the physical adapters and what their speed/duplex settings are -

This command has the following optional parameters:

esxcfg-nics <options> <NIC>

-s|--speed <speed> Set the speed of this NIC to one of 10/100/1000/10000. Requires a NIC parameter.

-d|--duplex <duplex> Set the duplex of this NIC to one of 'full' or 'half'. Requires a NIC parameter.

-a|--auto Set speed and duplex automatically. Requires a NIC parameter.

-l|--list Print the list of NICs and their settings.

-r|--restore Restore the nics configured speed/duplex settings (INTERNAL ONLY)

-h|--help Display this message.

You can also change this in with the VI Client - by editing the properties of the vSwitch the nic is connected and modifying the physical adapter properties