IEEEIO Performance Comparisons

The performance of IEEEIO, HDF 4.1r1, and F77 unformatted IO are compared. Each system is set up to write between 5 and 40 datasets. Each dataset is 64^3 double precision floats. The realtime (wallclock time) is measured in seconds using time() which is coarse, but good enough for this comparison. The system and user times (CPU times) were measured using the times() system call which reports in clock ticks. The combined time is the sum of user and system times. The timing of each of the IO systems includes the opening and closing of the files so that buffer flushing and file indexing can be taken into account. The program used to do the testing is IOspeed.cc and uses writef77.f to handle the F77 IO. Testing hasn't been done on too many architectures yet but as data is collected it will be posted here.

Octane Performance

 5 to 40 double precision float datasets with 64 x 64 x 64 elements were written to the scratch disk. (each * represents writing a single datasets)

The test was performed on Octane while the machine was unloaded. The machine has one 195 MHz R10000 processor, 512 Megs RAM. A 2-disk fast-wide SCSI-3 RAID 0 array was used as the data drive for the test. This data is from a single run. More tests will be done to build an averaged score.

--------------IEEE--------------
Write  5:*****
        Realtime=0, UserTime=0, SystemTime=11, Combined=11
Write 10:**********
        Realtime=1, UserTime=2, SystemTime=22, Combined=24
Write 15:***************
        Realtime=3, UserTime=0, SystemTime=32, Combined=32
Write 20:********************
        Realtime=4, UserTime=0, SystemTime=43, Combined=43
Write 25:*************************
        Realtime=6, UserTime=1, SystemTime=54, Combined=55
Write 30:******************************
        Realtime=7, UserTime=0, SystemTime=64, Combined=64
Write 35:***********************************
        Realtime=8, UserTime=1, SystemTime=75, Combined=76
Write 40:****************************************
        Realtime=9, UserTime=1, SystemTime=86, Combined=87
--------------HDF---------------
Write  5:*****
        Realtime=1, UserTime=30, SystemTime=25, Combined=55
Write 10:**********
        Realtime=2, UserTime=61, SystemTime=49, Combined=110
Write 15:***************
        Realtime=4, UserTime=91, SystemTime=75, Combined=166
Write 20:********************
        Realtime=16, UserTime=122, SystemTime=99, Combined=221
Write 25:*************************
        Realtime=8, UserTime=153, SystemTime=124, Combined=277
Write 30:******************************
        Realtime=9, UserTime=181, SystemTime=150, Combined=331
Write 35:***********************************
        Realtime=11, UserTime=213, SystemTime=175, Combined=388
Write 40:****************************************
        Realtime=13, UserTime=241, SystemTime=200, Combined=441
-------------F77 Unformatted---------------
Write  5:*****
        Realtime=0, UserTime=1, SystemTime=11, Combined=12
Write 10:**********
        Realtime=1, UserTime=0, SystemTime=24, Combined=24
Write 15:***************
        Realtime=3, UserTime=0, SystemTime=36, Combined=36
Write 20:********************
        Realtime=14, UserTime=0, SystemTime=48, Combined=48
Write 25:*************************
        Realtime=5, UserTime=0, SystemTime=60, Combined=60
Write 30:******************************
        Realtime=7, UserTime=1, SystemTime=72, Combined=73
Write 35:***********************************
        Realtime=8, UserTime=0, SystemTime=84, Combined=84
Write 40:****************************************
        Realtime=10, UserTime=0, SystemTime=96, Combined=96

Origin 2000

 5-40 64^3 double-precision float datasets were written (each '*' represents writing a single datasets)

Test performed on the SGI Origin 2000 origin.aei-potsdam.mpg.de while the machine was moderately loaded. The machine has 32 195 MHz R10000 processors, 8Gigabytes RAM. A mulit-disk RAID 0 array was used as the data drive for the test. This is from a single run. More tests will be done to create an averaged score.

--------------IEEE--------------
Write  5:*****
        Realtime=0, UserTime=2, SystemTime=18, Combined=20
Write 10:**********
        Realtime=2, UserTime=0, SystemTime=26, Combined=26
Write 15:***************
        Realtime=1, UserTime=0, SystemTime=39, Combined=39
Write 20:********************
        Realtime=3, UserTime=1, SystemTime=53, Combined=54
Write 25:*************************
        Realtime=3, UserTime=0, SystemTime=65, Combined=65
Write 30:******************************
        Realtime=3, UserTime=1, SystemTime=76, Combined=77
Write 35:***********************************
        Realtime=6, UserTime=1, SystemTime=97, Combined=98
Write 40:****************************************
        Realtime=6, UserTime=1, SystemTime=107, Combined=108
--------------HDF---------------
Write  5:*****
        Realtime=1, UserTime=44, SystemTime=33, Combined=77
Write 10:**********
        Realtime=3, UserTime=86, SystemTime=61, Combined=147
Write 15:***************
        Realtime=3, UserTime=129, SystemTime=85, Combined=214
Write 20:********************
        Realtime=7, UserTime=171, SystemTime=115, Combined=286
Write 25:*************************
        Realtime=6, UserTime=215, SystemTime=139, Combined=354
Write 30:******************************
        Realtime=8, UserTime=258, SystemTime=169, Combined=427
Write 35:***********************************
        Realtime=10, UserTime=300, SystemTime=200, Combined=500
Write 40:****************************************
        Realtime=12, UserTime=340, SystemTime=231, Combined=571
-------------F77 Unformatted---------------
Write  5:*****
        Realtime=0, UserTime=0, SystemTime=20, Combined=20
Write 10:**********
        Realtime=2, UserTime=0, SystemTime=30, Combined=30
Write 15:***************
        Realtime=2, UserTime=0, SystemTime=45, Combined=45
Write 20:********************
        Realtime=1, UserTime=1, SystemTime=60, Combined=61
Write 25:*************************
        Realtime=5, UserTime=0, SystemTime=77, Combined=77
Write 30:******************************
        Realtime=4, UserTime=0, SystemTime=93, Combined=93
Write 35:***********************************
        Realtime=6, UserTime=1, SystemTime=108, Combined=109
Write 40:****************************************
        Realtime=5, UserTime=0, SystemTime=123, Combined=123

HP/Convex SPP-1200

 5-40 64^3 double-precision float datasets were written (each '*' represents writing a single datasets)

Test performed on an HP/Convex SPP-1200 (lena.ncsa.uiuc.edu) while the machine was moderately loaded. The machine has 64 120 MHz PA7200 processors, 8Gigabytes RAM. A mulit-disk RAID 0 array was used as the data drive for the test. This is from a single run. More tests will be done to create an averaged score.

--------------IEEE--------------
Write  5:*****
        Realtime=2, UserTime=0, SystemTime=1, Combined=1
Write 10:**********
        Realtime=1, UserTime=1, SystemTime=0, Combined=1
Write 15:***************
        Realtime=3, UserTime=0, SystemTime=0, Combined=0
Write 20:********************
        Realtime=4, UserTime=1, SystemTime=0, Combined=1
Write 25:*************************
        Realtime=4, UserTime=2, SystemTime=0, Combined=2
Write 30:******************************
        Realtime=6, UserTime=3, SystemTime=0, Combined=3
Write 35:***********************************
        Realtime=5, UserTime=2, SystemTime=0, Combined=2
Write 40:****************************************
        Realtime=7, UserTime=2, SystemTime=1, Combined=3
--------------HDF---------------
Write  5:*****
        Realtime=3, UserTime=134, SystemTime=12, Combined=146
Write 10:**********
        Realtime=5, UserTime=254, SystemTime=7, Combined=261
Write 15:***************
        Realtime=8, UserTime=379, SystemTime=19, Combined=398
Write 20:********************
        Realtime=11, UserTime=524, SystemTime=19, Combined=543
Write 25:*************************
        Realtime=18, UserTime=688, SystemTime=24, Combined=712
Write 30:******************************
        Realtime=23, UserTime=801, SystemTime=22, Combined=823
Write 35:***********************************
        Realtime=24, UserTime=947, SystemTime=27, Combined=974
Write 40:****************************************
        Realtime=25, UserTime=1087, SystemTime=28, Combined=1115
-------------F77 Unformatted---------------
Write  5:*****
        Realtime=1, UserTime=39, SystemTime=15, Combined=54
Write 10:**********
        Realtime=2, UserTime=91, SystemTime=1, Combined=92
Write 15:***************
        Realtime=4, UserTime=133, SystemTime=0, Combined=133
Write 20:********************
        Realtime=4, UserTime=169, SystemTime=1, Combined=170
Write 25:*************************
        Realtime=7, UserTime=211, SystemTime=2, Combined=213
Write 30:******************************
        Realtime=11, UserTime=275, SystemTime=0, Combined=275
Write 35:***********************************
        Realtime=10, UserTime=318, SystemTime=3, Combined=321
Write 40:****************************************
        Realtime=9, UserTime=348, SystemTime=6, Combined=354

HP/Convex S-Class

 5-40 64^3 double-precision float datasets were written (each '*' represents writing a single datasets)

Test performed on an alpha-version of the HP/Convex S-Class while the machine was moderately loaded. The machine has 16 180 MHz PA8000 processors, 4Gigabytes RAM. A mulit-disk RAID 0 array was used as the data drive for the test. This is from a single run. More tests will be done to create an averaged score.

--------------IEEE--------------
Write  5:*****
        Realtime=7, UserTime=0, SystemTime=1, Combined=1
Write 10:**********
        Realtime=1, UserTime=0, SystemTime=0, Combined=0
Write 15:***************
        Realtime=1, UserTime=0, SystemTime=0, Combined=0
Write 20:********************
        Realtime=1, UserTime=0, SystemTime=1, Combined=1
Write 25:*************************
        Realtime=1, UserTime=1, SystemTime=0, Combined=1
Write 30:******************************
        Realtime=2, UserTime=1, SystemTime=0, Combined=1
Write 35:***********************************
        Realtime=2, UserTime=2, SystemTime=1, Combined=3
Write 40:****************************************
        Realtime=3, UserTime=3, SystemTime=1, Combined=4
--------------HDF---------------
Write  5:*****
        Realtime=4, UserTime=52, SystemTime=4, Combined=56
Write 10:**********
        Realtime=3, UserTime=121, SystemTime=5, Combined=126
Write 15:***************
        Realtime=4, UserTime=159, SystemTime=8, Combined=167
Write 20:********************
        Realtime=7, UserTime=216, SystemTime=16, Combined=232
Write 25:*************************
        Realtime=7, UserTime=262, SystemTime=23, Combined=285
Write 30:******************************
        Realtime=11, UserTime=322, SystemTime=19, Combined=341
Write 35:***********************************
        Realtime=9, UserTime=361, SystemTime=33, Combined=394
Write 40:****************************************
        Realtime=13, UserTime=422, SystemTime=31, Combined=453
-------------F77 Unformatted---------------
Write  5:*****
        Realtime=1, UserTime=27, SystemTime=8, Combined=35
Write 10:**********
        Realtime=2, UserTime=58, SystemTime=0, Combined=58
Write 15:***************
        Realtime=2, UserTime=90, SystemTime=0, Combined=90
Write 20:********************
        Realtime=2, UserTime=112, SystemTime=0, Combined=112
Write 25:*************************
        Realtime=3, UserTime=137, SystemTime=2, Combined=139
Write 30:******************************
        Realtime=3, UserTime=174, SystemTime=0, Combined=174
Write 35:***********************************
        Realtime=6, UserTime=203, SystemTime=0, Combined=203
Write 40:****************************************
        Realtime=4, UserTime=223, SystemTime=1, Combined=224

DEC AlphaServer 2100 4/275

 5-40 64^3 double-precision float datasets were written (each '*' represents writing a single datasets)

Test performed on a DEC AlphaServer 2100 4/275 while the machine was unloaded. The machine has 1 275 MHz Alpha ev 4 processor, 32Megabytes RAM. A single SCSI-2 disk was used as the data drive for the test. This is from a single run. More tests will be done to create an averaged score.

--------------IEEE--------------
Write  5:*****
        Realtime=1, UserTime=1, SystemTime=29, Combined=30
Write 10:**********
        Realtime=8, UserTime=0, SystemTime=49, Combined=49
Write 15:***************
        Realtime=9, UserTime=0, SystemTime=75, Combined=75
Write 20:********************
        Realtime=14, UserTime=0, SystemTime=101, Combined=101
Write 25:*************************
        Realtime=16, UserTime=1, SystemTime=126, Combined=127
Write 30:******************************
        Realtime=18, UserTime=0, SystemTime=152, Combined=152
Write 35:***********************************
        Realtime=23, UserTime=1, SystemTime=178, Combined=179
Write 40:****************************************
        Realtime=26, UserTime=1, SystemTime=204, Combined=205
--------------HDF---------------
Write  5:*****
        Realtime=8, UserTime=106, SystemTime=47, Combined=153
Write 10:**********
        Realtime=17, UserTime=214, SystemTime=89, Combined=303
Write 15:***************
        Realtime=25, UserTime=317, SystemTime=138, Combined=455
Write 20:********************
        Realtime=31, UserTime=425, SystemTime=185, Combined=610
Write 25:*************************
        Realtime=34, UserTime=533, SystemTime=228, Combined=761
Write 30:******************************
        Realtime=40, UserTime=640, SystemTime=276, Combined=916
Write 35:***********************************
        Realtime=49, UserTime=743, SystemTime=326, Combined=1069
Write 40:****************************************
        Realtime=55, UserTime=852, SystemTime=369, Combined=1221
-------------F77 Unformatted---------------
Write  5:*****
        Realtime=3, UserTime=11, SystemTime=32, Combined=43
Write 10:**********
        Realtime=6, UserTime=20, SystemTime=64, Combined=84
Write 15:***************
        Realtime=10, UserTime=28, SystemTime=85, Combined=113
Write 20:********************
        Realtime=12, UserTime=40, SystemTime=117, Combined=157
Write 25:*************************
        Realtime=18, UserTime=52, SystemTime=139, Combined=191
Write 30:******************************
        Realtime=18, UserTime=64, SystemTime=170, Combined=234
Write 35:***********************************
        Realtime=21, UserTime=66, SystemTime=199, Combined=265
Write 40:****************************************
        Realtime=28, UserTime=80, SystemTime=226, Combined=306

DEC AlphaStation 600 5/266

 5-40 64^3 double-precision float datasets were written (each '*' represents writing a single datasets)

Test performed on a DEC AlphaStation 600 5/266 while the machine was moderately loaded. The machine has 1 266 MHz Alpha ev 5 processor, 64Megabytes RAM. A single SCSI-2 disk was used as the data drive for the test. This is from a single run. More tests will be done to create an averaged score.

--------------IEEE--------------
Write  5:*****
        Realtime=1, UserTime=1, SystemTime=18, Combined=19
Write 10:**********
        Realtime=4, UserTime=0, SystemTime=43, Combined=43
Write 15:***************
        Realtime=6, UserTime=0, SystemTime=65, Combined=65
Write 20:********************
        Realtime=7, UserTime=0, SystemTime=82, Combined=82
Write 25:*************************
        Realtime=9, UserTime=0, SystemTime=109, Combined=109
Write 30:******************************
        Realtime=11, UserTime=1, SystemTime=146, Combined=147
Write 35:***********************************
        Realtime=12, UserTime=0, SystemTime=183, Combined=183
Write 40:****************************************
        Realtime=16, UserTime=1, SystemTime=196, Combined=197
--------------HDF---------------
Write  5:*****
        Realtime=4, UserTime=71, SystemTime=30, Combined=101
Write 10:**********
        Realtime=8, UserTime=145, SystemTime=55, Combined=200
Write 15:***************
        Realtime=12, UserTime=218, SystemTime=84, Combined=302
Write 20:********************
        Realtime=14, UserTime=292, SystemTime=113, Combined=405
Write 25:*************************
        Realtime=19, UserTime=361, SystemTime=145, Combined=506
Write 30:******************************
        Realtime=22, UserTime=433, SystemTime=174, Combined=607
Write 35:***********************************
        Realtime=27, UserTime=503, SystemTime=202, Combined=705
Write 40:****************************************
        Realtime=30, UserTime=580, SystemTime=231, Combined=811
-------------F77 Unformatted---------------
Write  5:*****
        Realtime=3, UserTime=11, SystemTime=21, Combined=32
Write 10:**********
        Realtime=3, UserTime=25, SystemTime=38, Combined=63
Write 15:***************
        Realtime=7, UserTime=37, SystemTime=59, Combined=96
Write 20:********************
        Realtime=8, UserTime=49, SystemTime=83, Combined=132
Write 25:*************************
        Realtime=10, UserTime=60, SystemTime=115, Combined=175
Write 30:******************************
        Realtime=12, UserTime=74, SystemTime=134, Combined=208
Write 35:***********************************
        Realtime=13, UserTime=86, SystemTime=154, Combined=240
Write 40:****************************************
        Realtime=15, UserTime=95, SystemTime=192, Combined=287
John Shalf
Last modified: Wed Jun 4 10:19:46 CDT 1997