Abstract

New generation servers can bring higher performance across a range of areas. This is certainly the case with Dell’s 16th-generation server line. Similarly, newer protocols like NVM Express (NVMe) over Fibre Channel (FC) can provide greater throughput and efficiency than older SCSI over FC. Dell is unique in offering an end-to-end NVMe/FC connectivity solution in the mid-range storage marketplace with the PowerStore line.

Dell commissioned Tolly to benchmark the performance of the Broadcom Emulex LPe36002 64G Fibre Channel dual-port host bus adapter (HBA) running in the Dell PowerEdge R7625 Rack Server with AMD EPYC processors by testing using actual database applications rather than simulated I/O microbenchmarks. Testing focused on evaluating the database throughput, latency, and CPU efficiency of accessing Microsoft SQL Server 2019 for Linux systems over older SCSI/FC and newer NVMe/FC. Databases were stored on a Dell PowerStore 9200T storage appliance.

Tests showed significant improvements in transaction throughput, latency reduction, and CPU efficiency.