The purpose of this review is to compare the performance of multi-threaded file copy operations to/from a NAS storage device using the Windows built-in command line file copy utility Robocopy. The performance test was performed via the Gigabit Ethernet network between two quad-core machines equipped with 16 GB of system memory, two identical Samsung 950 Pro 1TB SSD drives and running the Windows Server 2016 operating system. The T1 file copy operation was performed using a single file copy thread and the T2 file copy operation was performed using two parallel file copy threads. The file copy operations were performed using the same data set containing 30,000 small and medium-sized files.
Performance Counter
RoboCopy T1
RoboCopy T2
NAS Request Rate
2931.97 Req/Sec
5174.08 Req/Sec
NAS Data Request Rate
366.23 Req/Sec
647.21 Req/Sec
NAS Read Request Rate
182.93 Req/Sec
323.91 Req/Sec
NAS Write Request Rate
183.30 Req/Sec
323.30 Req/Sec
NAS Data Transfer Rate
9.97 MB/Sec
17.66 MB/Sec
NAS Read Transfer Rate
4.97 MB/Sec
8.86 MB/Sec
NAS Write Transfer Rate
5.00 MB/Sec
8.80 MB/Sec
NAS Network Transfer Rate
10.89 MB/Sec
19.29 MB/Sec
NAS Network Received Rate
5.51 MB/Sec
9.70 MB/Sec
NAS Network Sent Rate
5.38 MB/Sec
9.59 MB/Sec
According to the performance results, RoboCopy T2 achieves better results in 10 out of 10 tests including: NAS Request Rate, NAS Data Request Rate, NAS Read Request Rate, NAS Write Request Rate, NAS Data Transfer Rate, NAS Read Transfer Rate, NAS Write Transfer Rate, NAS Network Transfer Rate, NAS Network Received Rate and NAS Network Sent Rate.
RoboCopy T1 vs. RoboCopy T2 - NAS Request Rate
RoboCopy T1
2931.97 Req/Sec
RoboCopy T2
5174.08 Req/Sec
More is Better
Average: 4053.02 Req/Sec
Min: 109.75 Req/Sec
Max: 11759.69 Req/Sec
The average NAS Request Rate is better for RoboCopy T2 (5174.08 Req/Sec vs. 2931.97 Req/Sec), the minimum NAS Request Rate is better for RoboCopy T1 (335.17 Req/Sec vs. 109.75 Req/Sec) and the maximum NAS Request Rate is better for RoboCopy T2 (11759.69 Req/Sec vs. 7540.05 Req/Sec).
RoboCopy T1 vs. RoboCopy T2 - NAS Data Request Rate
RoboCopy T1
366.23 Req/Sec
RoboCopy T2
647.21 Req/Sec
More is Better
Average: 506.72 Req/Sec
Min: 3.92 Req/Sec
Max: 1522.88 Req/Sec
The average NAS Data Request Rate is better for RoboCopy T2 (647.21 Req/Sec vs. 366.23 Req/Sec), the minimum NAS Data Request Rate is better for RoboCopy T1 (10.47 Req/Sec vs. 3.92 Req/Sec) and the maximum NAS Data Request Rate is better for RoboCopy T2 (1522.88 Req/Sec vs. 1437.33 Req/Sec).
RoboCopy T1 vs. RoboCopy T2 - NAS Read Request Rate
RoboCopy T1
182.93 Req/Sec
RoboCopy T2
323.91 Req/Sec
More is Better
Average: 253.42 Req/Sec
Min: 0.00 Req/Sec
Max: 1424.12 Req/Sec
The average NAS Read Request Rate is better for RoboCopy T2 (323.91 Req/Sec vs. 182.93 Req/Sec), the minimum NAS Read Request Rate is identical for both RoboCopy T1 and RoboCopy T2 (0.00 Req/Sec) and the maximum NAS Read Request Rate is better for RoboCopy T1 (1424.12 Req/Sec vs. 1421.75 Req/Sec).
RoboCopy T1 vs. RoboCopy T2 - NAS Write Request Rate
RoboCopy T1
183.30 Req/Sec
RoboCopy T2
323.30 Req/Sec
More is Better
Average: 253.30 Req/Sec
Min: 3.92 Req/Sec
Max: 1368.50 Req/Sec
The average NAS Write Request Rate is better for RoboCopy T2 (323.30 Req/Sec vs. 183.30 Req/Sec), the minimum NAS Write Request Rate is better for RoboCopy T1 (10.47 Req/Sec vs. 3.92 Req/Sec) and the maximum NAS Write Request Rate is better for RoboCopy T2 (1368.50 Req/Sec vs. 1274.96 Req/Sec).
RoboCopy T1 vs. RoboCopy T2 - NAS Data Transfer Rate
RoboCopy T1
9.97 MB/Sec
RoboCopy T2
17.66 MB/Sec
More is Better
Average: 13.82 MB/Sec
Min: 0.01 MB/Sec
Max: 89.02 MB/Sec
The average NAS Data Transfer Rate is better for RoboCopy T2 (17.66 MB/Sec vs. 9.97 MB/Sec), the minimum NAS Data Transfer Rate is better for RoboCopy T1 (0.06 MB/Sec vs. 0.01 MB/Sec) and the maximum NAS Data Transfer Rate is better for RoboCopy T2 (89.02 MB/Sec vs. 88.41 MB/Sec).
RoboCopy T1 vs. RoboCopy T2 - NAS Read Transfer Rate
RoboCopy T1
4.97 MB/Sec
RoboCopy T2
8.86 MB/Sec
More is Better
Average: 6.91 MB/Sec
Min: 0.00 MB/Sec
Max: 88.31 MB/Sec
The average NAS Read Transfer Rate is better for RoboCopy T2 (8.86 MB/Sec vs. 4.97 MB/Sec), the minimum NAS Read Transfer Rate is identical for both RoboCopy T1 and RoboCopy T2 (0.00 MB/Sec) and the maximum NAS Read Transfer Rate is better for RoboCopy T1 (88.31 MB/Sec vs. 83.42 MB/Sec).
RoboCopy T1 vs. RoboCopy T2 - NAS Write Transfer Rate
RoboCopy T1
5.00 MB/Sec
RoboCopy T2
8.80 MB/Sec
More is Better
Average: 6.90 MB/Sec
Min: 0.01 MB/Sec
Max: 83.88 MB/Sec
The average NAS Write Transfer Rate is better for RoboCopy T2 (8.80 MB/Sec vs. 5.00 MB/Sec), the minimum NAS Write Transfer Rate is better for RoboCopy T1 (0.06 MB/Sec vs. 0.01 MB/Sec) and the maximum NAS Write Transfer Rate is better for RoboCopy T2 (83.88 MB/Sec vs. 78.99 MB/Sec).
RoboCopy T1 vs. RoboCopy T2 - NAS Network Transfer Rate
RoboCopy T1
10.89 MB/Sec
RoboCopy T2
19.29 MB/Sec
More is Better
Average: 15.09 MB/Sec
Min: 0.05 MB/Sec
Max: 89.87 MB/Sec
The average NAS Network Transfer Rate is better for RoboCopy T2 (19.29 MB/Sec vs. 10.89 MB/Sec), the minimum NAS Network Transfer Rate is better for RoboCopy T1 (0.16 MB/Sec vs. 0.05 MB/Sec) and the maximum NAS Network Transfer Rate is better for RoboCopy T2 (89.87 MB/Sec vs. 88.77 MB/Sec).
RoboCopy T1 vs. RoboCopy T2 - NAS Network Received Rate
RoboCopy T1
5.51 MB/Sec
RoboCopy T2
9.70 MB/Sec
More is Better
Average: 7.60 MB/Sec
Min: 0.03 MB/Sec
Max: 84.17 MB/Sec
The average NAS Network Received Rate is better for RoboCopy T2 (9.70 MB/Sec vs. 5.51 MB/Sec), the minimum NAS Network Received Rate is better for RoboCopy T1 (0.11 MB/Sec vs. 0.03 MB/Sec) and the maximum NAS Network Received Rate is better for RoboCopy T2 (84.17 MB/Sec vs. 79.19 MB/Sec).
RoboCopy T1 vs. RoboCopy T2 - NAS Network Sent Rate
RoboCopy T1
5.38 MB/Sec
RoboCopy T2
9.59 MB/Sec
More is Better
Average: 7.48 MB/Sec
Min: 0.01 MB/Sec
Max: 88.45 MB/Sec
The average NAS Network Sent Rate is better for RoboCopy T2 (9.59 MB/Sec vs. 5.38 MB/Sec), the minimum NAS Network Sent Rate is better for RoboCopy T1 (0.05 MB/Sec vs. 0.01 MB/Sec) and the maximum NAS Network Sent Rate is better for RoboCopy T1 (88.45 MB/Sec vs. 83.78 MB/Sec).
2931.97 Req/Sec
5174.08 Req/Sec
