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Hardware-Based NFS Servers : Built For Prime-Time Speed

By Jeff Ballard Quick and reliable distribution of information is vital to business. While the amount of information available on the corporate network is growing exponentially, users are becoming more dependent on shared resources to get their jobs done. Distributing this

information is a difficult task--one that requires appropriate tools. However, many shops are still using Unix hardware that cannot handle the demands. A new breed of Network File System (NFS) servers is emerging. Filling the void that lowend workstation servers cannot, these hardware-based NFS servers are ready for prime time.

Reliability, performance and ease of administration are three key areas that set the new er products apart. A finely tuned NFS server is much more than a workstation with a bunch of disks attached. Even if a workstation is functioning appropriately for you or your workgroup, it cannot compete with the redundancy or speed of these NFS servers.

To view the Report card.
The large number of drives attached to these mammoth towers combined with high-end processing power of the CPU produce a high-availability, high-throughput environment for file serving. We found that performance to a FDDI-connected 16-disk server array was far better than access speeds to a locally connected disk drive--between five and 30 times the speed of a typical workstation-based NFS server. These products also were much easier to manage than a full Unix server.

Built for More Than Speed Many hardware-based NFS servers provide a few features that make network administration easier. For example, there are hot-swappable drives and power supplies and hot-spare CPUs. Additionally, some servers include adjustable RAID levels, remote administration and automated backups.

We rounded up four hardware-based NFS servers and found that each offers a distinct advantage when it comes to performance, administration, redundancy and configuration. Falcon Systems' FastfilePro 7000, Invincible Technologies Corp.'s LIFELINE SFT, Network Appliance's NetApp F540 and Sun Microsystems Computer Corp.'s Netra NFS 150 were tested at our University of Wisconsin lab in Madison. Another key player in the NFS market, Auspex Systems, withdrew from testing.

Each server balances its quirks against its strengths. However, all performed better than an average Unix workstation file server. The size and magnitude of the problems encountered was minuscule compared with the issues one might encounter with NFS workstation-based services. Features such as setting up file systems, adding hard drives, configuring RAID arrays and assuring dependability are a few examples of what these machines offer.

After careful consideration, we gave top honors to LIFELINE SFT. Its GUI interface is precise and easy to use, and the system offers fault tolerance that is second to none through the use of redundant computers. LIFELINE SFT, combined with advanced hardware provides a superior package.

Serving Those Files Each of these products approaches the job of serving NFS services from a different angle. Netra NFS 150 and LIFELINE SFT run computers with full kernels, but LIFELINE SFT retains an X Windows/Motif GUI, while Netra NFS uses HTML to administer the machine. Falcon's FastfilePro 7000 uses a straightforward text-based menuing system for administration. NetApp F540 offers a simple setup and was ready to go within minutes of unpacking.

To down load an Adobe Acrobat .pdf format version of the NFS Server features chart, click here.