what does disk iops mean and how to check it?

what does IOPS mean?

IOPS stands for "Input/Output Operations Per Second," and it is a measure of the performance of a storage device, such as a hard disk or a solid-state drive (SSD). It refers to the number of read and write operations that a storage device can perform in a given second.

The workload that a flash disk can support depends on the specific device and its capabilities. In general, SSDs tend to have higher IOPS than traditional hard disks, and they are able to handle more workload. However, there is a wide range of performance among different SSDs, and the specific workload that a particular SSD can support will depend on its design and specifications.

For example, a high-end SSD designed for use in a server environment may be able to handle hundreds of thousands of IOPS, while a consumer-grade SSD may be limited to a few tens of thousands of IOPS. In general, it is important to consider the IOPS requirements of your workload when selecting a storage device, in order to ensure that it can perform at the necessary level.

How to check disk IOPS in Linux

1. Use the iostat command: The iostat command can be used to monitor the I/O performance of a system, including the IOPS of individual disks. To see the IOPS of a specific disk, use the -x flag and specify the disk name, like this:

iostat -xk /dev/sda

1. Use the hdparm command: The hdparm command can be used to retrieve various information about a disk, including its IOPS. To get the IOPS of a disk, use the -t flag and specify the disk name, like this:

hdparm -t /dev/sda

1. Use the fio tool: The fio tool is a flexible I/O testing tool that can be used to measure the IOPS of a disk. To use it, create a configuration file with the desired test parameters, and then run the fio command with the configuration file. For example:

fio iops-test.conf

1. Use a benchmarking tool: There are several benchmarking tools available that can be used to measure the IOPS of a disk. One popular option is Bonnie++, which is a suite of utilities for testing the performance of a filesystem. To use it, install the bonnie++ package and then run the bonnie++ command with the desired options. For example:

bonnie++ -d /mnt -n 0:1:0 -r 2048 -s 8G -x 1

These are just a few examples of the ways that you can check the IOPS of a disk in Linux. There are many other tools and techniques that can be used for this purpose.

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Reference:

• 4 ways to check disk iops in Linux
• storage monitoring guide from redhat