Benchmark Network-Attached Storage: It’s Harder Than You Think
This blog post explains how multiple layers (from protocol overhead and network congestion to caching behavior and infrastructure topology) can distort benchmark results. Even seemingly straightforward tests using tools like fio can mislead due to variability in caching, multi-tenant interference, and rate-limiting. The post emphasizes that benchmarking NAS isn’t just about raw numbers but requires careful configuration and awareness of the entire storage stack to yield meaningful, reliable insights.