Network performance slow on a guest Windows.

[VGusev2007]

Hi all, I want to talk about network stack performance:

I run WindowsXP on Proxmox 1.5 with 2.6.32 kernel.

I use virtio network card with RedHat virtio network driver.

I did setup 1c v 7.7 (This is Russian kind of an ERP), the program works like:

1c 7.7 client software run on a client PC

MSSQL 2000 Server run on VM WindowsXP. - It is one app runs on WindowsXP in Virtual environment.

The SQL query run directly from client to server over network.

When I use a real machine as a server, I can do some report in 6 mins from remote client.
When I use a virt machine as a server, I can do similar report in 12 mins from same remote client.
When I use the VM for run MSSQL Sever and client software. I can do the similar report in 4 mins.

I cry. I think the network stack is slow. I have used e1000, virtio drivers - it works the same.


Can you help me?

 

[tom]

post the output of 'pveversion -v' and 'pveperf'

and the config of your VM - cat /etc/qemu-server/VMID.conf

 

[VGusev2007]

#pveversion -v
pve-manager: 1.5-10 (pve-manager/1.5/4822)
running kernel: 2.6.32-2-pve
proxmox-ve-2.6.32: 1.5-7
pve-kernel-2.6.32-2-pve: 2.6.32-7
pve-kernel-2.6.18-2-pve: 2.6.18-5
qemu-server: 1.1-16
pve-firmware: 1.0-5
libpve-storage-perl: 1.0-13
vncterm: 0.9-2
vzctl: 3.0.23-1pve11
vzdump: 1.2-5
vzprocps: 2.0.11-1dso2
vzquota: 3.0.11-1
pve-qemu-kvm: 0.12.4-1
ksm-control-daemon: 1.0-3

# pveperf
CPU BOGOMIPS:      17067.02
REGEX/SECOND:      780336
HD SIZE:           18.21 GB (/dev/mapper/pve-root)
BUFFERED READS:    69.96 MB/sec
AVERAGE SEEK TIME: 10.40 ms
FSYNCS/SECOND:     701.33
DNS EXT:           81.34 ms
DNS INT:           1.15 ms (xxxx.local)

#cat /etc/qemu-server/106.conf 
name: 1cv7
bootdisk: virtio0
ostype: wxp
virtio0: storage1:106/vm-106-disk-1.raw
memory: 3328
sockets: 1
onboot: 0
description: 1cv7 
cores: 2
boot: c
freeze: 0
cpuunits: 8000
acpi: 1
kvm: 1
vlan0: e1000=2E:5A:83:5F:9F:DB

 

[VGusev2007]

iperf shows me about 8 megabutes per second transfered via Ethernet beetwen VMs and client physical host.

 

[tom]

#pveversion -v
pve-manager: 1.5-10 (pve-manager/1.5/4822)
running kernel: 2.6.32-2-pve
proxmox-ve-2.6.32: 1.5-7
pve-kernel-2.6.32-2-pve: 2.6.32-7
pve-kernel-2.6.18-2-pve: 2.6.18-5
qemu-server: 1.1-16
pve-firmware: 1.0-5
libpve-storage-perl: 1.0-13
vncterm: 0.9-2
vzctl: 3.0.23-1pve11
vzdump: 1.2-5
vzprocps: 2.0.11-1dso2
vzquota: 3.0.11-1
pve-qemu-kvm: 0.12.4-1
ksm-control-daemon: 1.0-3

for the latest packages, see http://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Downloads#Update_a_running_Proxmox_Virtual_Environment_to_1.6

# pveperf
CPU BOGOMIPS:      17067.02
REGEX/SECOND:      780336
HD SIZE:           18.21 GB (/dev/mapper/pve-root)
BUFFERED READS:    69.96 MB/sec
AVERAGE SEEK TIME: 10.40 ms
FSYNCS/SECOND:     701.33
DNS EXT:           81.34 ms
DNS INT:           1.15 ms (xxxx.local)

seem you do not have a fast disk system (raid with write back). looks like a single cheap sata disk?

#cat /etc/qemu-server/106.conf 
name: 1cv7
bootdisk: virtio0
ostype: wxp
virtio0: storage1:106/vm-106-disk-1.raw
memory: 3328
sockets: 1
onboot: 0
description: 1cv7 
cores: 2
boot: c
freeze: 0
cpuunits: 8000
acpi: 1
kvm: 1
vlan0: e1000=2E:5A:83:5F:9F:DB

try with one socket and one core. also try this drivers:
see http://forum.proxmox.com/threads/3481-Server-2008-freezing?p=26763#post26763

 

[VGusev2007]

for the latest packages, see http://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Downloads#Update_a_running_Proxmox_Virtual_Environment_to_1.6

I don't want to use Proxmox 1.6 because it comes without KSM, but I don't need the OpenVZ, because I use one VM per one task. What do you think it'll good solution for my problem with Windows guests VMs?

seem you do not have a fast disk system (raid with write back). looks like a single cheap sata disk?

It's lie. The program doesn't test other HDDs than HDD for OS, I have the Raid controller with write back and power safe unit module - 512 mb. I use it for VMs image storage. storage1 - The name of the HDDs.

try with one socket and one core. also try this drivers:
see http://forum.proxmox.com/threads/3481-Server-2008-freezing?p=26763#post26763

Thank I'll try it, but I don't have problem with CPU performance, and want to repeat again for you:

When I use the VM for run MSSQL Sever and client software. I can do the similar report in 4 mins.

CPU doesn't impact.

 

[VGusev2007]

I have downloaded the drivers special for WIN signed KVM, but I didn't test it yet.

 

[tom]

you can/should use 1.6, just keep this KSM capable kernel - you should use the latest KVM.

run the pveperf with specifying the right dir. (e.g. pveperf /vm/disks/)

cpu, try it with one - some user´s reported different performance with virtio and windows smp guests.

 

[VGusev2007]

Thank a lot. I'll do some tests tommorow. After that I'll answer to you.

 

[VGusev2007]

you can/should use 1.6, just keep this KSM capable kernel - you should use the latest KVM.

run the pveperf with specifying the right dir. (e.g. pveperf /vm/disks/)

cpu, try it with one - some user´s reported different performance with virtio and windows smp guests.

Hi!

I had compared KVM software vs VMvare ESXi.

I cry... KVM is weak software.

For example:

KVM has Network performance slow on a guest Windows.
ESXi - works fine.

KVM doesn't support Win98, MSDOS.
ESXi - works fine with it.
I'm a poor people, I still need this old program for my old equipment.

KVM/qemu doesn't support for direct map COM port, Serial port. /dev/ttySX - is a bad solution for me. It doesn't work property.
ESXi - works fine with it.
I'm a poor people, I still need this old program for my old equipment.

USB? - I didn't test ESXi, but KVM/qemu works bad with my old device.


I cry, cry, cry... I like OpenSource.

Developers of KVM know about Win98 and so on...

If you have some time, send my message to developers qemu, please. English is not a my native lang.

 

[tom]

I more or less do not agree to all your points. if you configure and optimize the right way you will get good performance - and yes win98 will never work and I and almost all people around are quite happy that no-one has to deal with this OS anymore.

 

[VGusev2007]

I think problems with USB, COM - is global problem for qemu.

For example: I need COM port for "Keri Systems", it doesn't work. I need USB port for get "status electrical conut", It uses USB. - It create a virtual COM port. - It doesn't works.


I'm sorry for OFFTOP, but I tnink it is a global problem for qemu.

If I'll have a free time, I try tune Network performance again.

 

[macday]

I have no problems with usb and serial ports. I have several machines running with ISDN-USB-Cards, USB-dongles, USB2Serial-Adapters, Temperature-Monitoring-USB, Serial-UPSs. And the performance is faster then any ESX-Host I had.

 

[VGusev2007]

I have no problems with usb and serial ports. I have several machines running with ISDN-USB-Cards, USB-dongles, USB2Serial-Adapters, Temperature-Monitoring-USB, Serial-UPSs. And the performance is faster then any ESX-Host I had.

I have USB-dongles too, it works fine. USB2Serial - doesn't works - it is FTDI vendor device - It looks as a new device, the drivers install fine, but COM virtual adapter does not able to recive or send any data.

Please tell me, how do some test performance?

Esxi out of the box give me more good network performance that KVM after tuning.

 

[VGusev2007]

Can you give me configs your VMs?