Prepare Your NAS File Transfer Performance Test with Mac OSX Client

There are already many NAS performance test available. Because I need real-world file transfer rate for my Mac mini (Late 2012), I decide to create my own sample data and procedure to meet my needs. Here is how it works:

Mixed File Size Sample Data

My typical working files contains small document, photo, and big disk image files. Therefore, I create my sample data set with one 3,3GB VDI file, 851 jpeg photos for 2.9GB, and 6 AVI video for 911.2MB.

If you want to reduce performance gain from disk cache and buffer on NAS, make sure the total sample size is bigger than memory on NAS.

Connect to Asustor ADM

According to QNAP TS-119PII with Mac OSX File Transfer Performance Report, there is no performance different using Finder or mount in terminal. You may mount a shared folder via Samba and Network File System with any above. Using NFS to Share Files on Asustor Between OS X and Linux explains how to configure ADM properly if you have file permission issue with NFS.

Here are sample server addresses in Finder when connecting to a shared folder [Public] in ADM at 192.168.1.2:

smb://192.168.1.2/Public
nfs://192.168.1.2/Public

Connect to QNAP QTS

According to QNAP TS-119PII with Mac OSX File Transfer Performance Report, there is no performance different using Finder or mount in terminal. You may mount a shared folder via Samba and Network File System with any above. Using NFS to Share Files on QNAP Between OS X and Linux explains how to configure QTS properly if you have file permission issue with NFS. Mounting an NFS share from OS X on QNAPedia is also very helpful, too.

Here are sample server addresses in Finder when connecting to a shared folder [Public] in QTS at 192.168.1.2:

smb://192.168.1.2/Public
nfs://192.168.1.2/Public

To prevent slow down from background service, I also stop [Media Library] generating thumbnails.

Connect to Synology DSM

According to QNAP TS-119PII with Mac OSX File Transfer Performance Report, there is no performance different using Finder or mount in terminal. You may mount a shared folder via Samba and Network File System with any above. Using NFS to Share Files on Synology Between OS X and Linux explains how to configure DSM properly if you have file permission issue with NFS.

Here are sample server addresses in Finder when connecting to a shared folder [Public] in QTS at 192.168.1.2:

smb://192.168.1.2/Public
nfs://192.168.1.2/Public

Connect to Thecus WSS

According to QNAP TS-119PII with Mac OSX File Transfer Performance Report, there is no performance different using Finder or mount in terminal. You may mount a shared folder via Samba with any above.

Network File System must be used with mount in terminal with parameters explicitly because Disk Utility included in OSX 10.8 and after has removed mount and [Advanced Mount Parameters] features according to Mountain Lion NFS Mounts Missing In Disk Utility on Apple Support.

Here is a sample server addresses in Finder when connecting to a shared folder [Public] in QTS at 192.168.1.2 with Samba:

smb://192.168.1.2/Public

Here is a sample mount command and parameters in terminal when connecting to a shared folder [Public] in QTS at 192.168.1.2 with NFS to [/Public /Users/Amigo/wss] on OSX:

mount -t nfs -o soft,intr,rsize=8192,wsize=8192,timeo=900,retrans=3,proto=tcp 192.168.1.2:/Public /Users/Amigo/wss

Mac Os X: Mount NFS Share / Set an NFS Client on nixCraft provides more useful information about mount on OSX. Worth to read!

Connect to ThecusOS 6

According to QNAP TS-119PII with Mac OSX File Transfer Performance Report, there is no performance different using Finder or mount in terminal. You may mount a shared folder via Samba and Network File System with any above. Using NFS to Share Files on Thecus Between OS X and Linux explains how to configure ThecusOS 6 properly if you have file permission issue with NFS.

Here is a sample server addresses in Finder when connecting to a shared folder [Public] in ThecusOS 6 at 192.168.1.2 with Samba:

smb://192.168.1.2/Public

Remember to use NFS3 Mount point in Config NFS Share dialog with Finder. You will see warning “You do not have permission to access this server.” if you use NFS4 Mount point.

How to Access a Shared Folder Locally with NFS on Thecus is a good step-by-step guide.

Here is a sample server addresses in Finder when connecting to a shared folder [Public] in ThecusOS 6 at 192.168.1.2 with NFS:

nfs://192.168.1.2/raid0/data/_NAS_NFS_Exports_/Public

Connection

If you don’t have a Gigabit Ethernet hub on your router, try Connect NAS to your Mac Directly with Ethernet.

According to my MTU test, I keep it to use default 1500.

Reference

1. Apple: Mac Developer Library: BSD System Manager’s Manual MOUNT(8)
2. Apple: Mac mini (Late 2012) – Technical Specifications
3. Apple: OS X
4. Apple: Support: Mac Basics: The Finder organizes all of your files
5. Apple: Support: Mountain Lion NFS Mounts Missing In Disk Utility
6. Asustor ADM
7. Connect NAS to your Mac Directly with Ethernet
8. Maximum MTU doesn’t mean Best Performance
9. nixCraft: Mac Os X: Mount NFS Share / Set an NFS Client
10. QNAP TS-119PII with Mac OSX File Transfer Performance Report
11. QNAP: QTS
12. QNAP: QNAPedia: Mounting an NFS share from OS X
13. Samba
14. Synology: DiskStation Manager
15. Thecus: How to Access a Shared Folder Locally with NFS
16. ThecusOS 6
17. Using NFS to Share Files on Asustor Between OS X and Linux
18. Using NFS to Share Files on QNAP Between OS X and Linux
19. Using NFS to Share Files on Synology Between OS X and Linux
20. Using NFS to Share Files on Thecus Between OS X and Linux
21. Wiki: Cache (computing) – 2.4 Disk cache
22. Wiki: Data buffer
23. Wiki: Disk image
24. Wiki: Disk Utility
25. Wiki: Gigabit Ethernet
26. Wiki: Ethernet hub
27. Wiki: Network File System
28. Wiki: Oracle VDI
29. Wiki: Router (computing)
30. Wiki: Terminal (OS X)