X-bit labs

Fujitsu Handy Drive 120GB Portable Storage Solution Review (page 3)

Category: Storage

by Aleksey Meyev

[ 07/05/2007 | 11:14 AM ]

Database Pattern

In the Database pattern the HDD is processing a stream of requests to read and write 8KB random-address data blocks. The ratio of read to write requests is changing from 0% to 100% throughout the test.

We built three diagrams for different request queue depths to illustrate performance of the HDDs in this test: for 1, 16 and 256 outstanding requests.

The WD Passport fails this test completely. The Handy Drive isn’t that poor overall, but is lagging behind the others at 100% read requests. As the percentage of writes is growing up, the Fujitsu finds itself bringing up the rear of the group of HDDs with similar speeds.

Nothing changes much when the request queue becomes 16 requests long. The HD-227U2 is in the lead, and the Passport is the outsider. The Fujitsu is the second worst again.

It’s somewhat different at a 256-request-long queue. The Western Digital still cannot catch up with the others, but the Transcend has a performance slump at 20% write requests and then gains the lead at 100% writes. The Handy Drive is the second worst until 80% writes but then makes a rush for the second best at 100% writes.