Generated with the following shell script:

#!/bin/bash
for cache_size in 256 512 768 1024 2048 4096 8192 16834 32768; do
 for i in {1..3}; do
 echo ${cache_size} > /sys/block/md0/md/stripe_cache_size
 sync
 echo 3 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches
 echo "stripe_cache_size: ${cache_size} (${i}/3)"
 # for write
 dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/md0 bs=3145728 count=5460
 # for read
 dd if=/dev/md0 of=/dev/null bs=3145728 count=5460
 done
done

Specifications

Intel Pentium D E6300 2.80Ghz
Gigabyte P45-UD3P
2 2GB DDR2-800 CL5 (4GB total)
6 1.5TB WDC Green 7200RPM (WD15EADS) on ICH10R (mdraid)
1 250GB Seagate 7200RPM (ST3250410AS) on JMicron JMB363

The mdraid will be run on the ICH10R, and the boot device (and operating sytsem) on the JMicron controller. Here are the benchmark results. All are using default XFS settings, benchmarks taken with bonnie++.

RAID6 mdraid Benchmarks

RAID6 64k

Version 1.03c       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
devil2           8G 88390  99 175541  25 88470  17 51515  80 289555  27 389.0   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16  2419  15 +++++ +++  1219   5  1502   9 +++++ +++   920   4
devil2,8G,88390,99,175541,25,88470,17,51515,80,289555,27,389.0,0,16,2419,15,+++++,+++,1219,5,1502,9,+++++,+++,920,4

RAID6 128k

Version 1.03c       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
devil2           8G 88849  99 174076  24 84382  15 58716  80 291795  27 406.7   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16  1254   4 +++++ +++   619   2   802   2 +++++ +++   668   2
devil2,8G,88849,99,174076,24,84382,15,58716,80,291795,27,406.7,0,16,1254,4,+++++,+++,619,2,802,2,+++++,+++,668,2

RAID6 256k

Version 1.03c       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
devil2           8G 82659  92 89437  12 64420  11 85758  95 214792  19 368.5   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16  1237   6 +++++ +++   697   4   812   3 +++++ +++   673   3
devil2,8G,82659,92,89437,12,64420,11,85758,95,214792,19,368.5,0,16,1237,6,+++++,+++,697,4,812,3,+++++,+++,673,3

RAID6 512k

Version 1.03c       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
devil2           8G 88844  99 125203  17 70935  12 76991  91 288147  26 402.1   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16  2231  11 +++++ +++   820   3  1669   7 +++++ +++   808   3
devil2,8G,88844,99,125203,17,70935,12,76991,91,288147,26,402.1,0,16,2231,11,+++++,+++,820,3,1669,7,+++++,+++,808,3

RAID5 mdraid Benchmarks

RAID5 64k

Version 1.03c       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
devil2           8G 88705  99 211212  30 103889  20 49043  75 360385  29 406.8   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16  1081   2 +++++ +++   646   1   889   2 +++++ +++   634   1
devil2,8G,88705,99,211212,30,103889,20,49043,75,360385,29,406.8,0,16,1081,2,+++++,+++,646,1,889,2,+++++,+++,634,1

RAID5 128k

Version 1.03c       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
devil2           8G 88323  99 193034  28 101348  19 58707  79 337775  30 380.5   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16  1086  14 +++++ +++   683   3   917   3 +++++ +++   586   1
devil2,8G,88323,99,193034,28,101348,19,58707,79,337775,30,380.5,0,16,1086,14,+++++,+++,683,3,917,3,+++++,+++,586,1

RAID5 256k

Version 1.03c       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
devil2           8G 88898  99 188605  26 92387  16 68355  86 357395  32 395.7   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16   888   1 +++++ +++   660   2   820   1 +++++ +++   570   1
devil2,8G,88898,99,188605,26,92387,16,68355,86,357395,32,395.7,0,16,888,1,+++++,+++,660,2,820,1,+++++,+++,570,1

RAID5 512k

Version 1.03c       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
devil2           8G 88868  99 147612  21 80418  13 80604  93 411211  36 387.4   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16   888   1 +++++ +++   613   1   855   1 +++++ +++   610   1
devil2,8G,88868,99,147612,21,80418,13,80604,93,411211,36,387.4,0,16,888,1,+++++,+++,613,1,855,1,+++++,+++,610,1

Overall RAID mdraid Benchmarks

Texas Instruments now contacted several people with a DMCA notice to take down the keys from their websites. Some of the websites which got a DMCA notice are: unitedti.org, brandonw.net and reddit.com. One of these DCMA notices can be found here: http://brandonw.net/calcstuff/DMCA_notice.txt

Here are the three keys:

TI-83 (Plus):

n=82EF4009ED7CAC2A5EE12B5F8E8AD9A0
AB9CC9F4F3E44B7E8BF2D57A2F2BEACE
83424E1CFF0D2A5A7E2E53CB926D61F3
47DFAA4B35B205B5881CEB40B328E58F
p=B709D3A0CD2FEC08EAFCCF540D8A100BB38E5E091D646ADB7B14D021096FFCD
q=B7207BD184E0B5A0B89832AA68849B29EDFB03FBA2E8917B176504F08A96246CB
d=4D0534BA8BB2BFA0740BFB6562E843C7
EC7A58AE351CE11D43438CA239DD9927
6CD125FEBAEE5D2696579FA3A3958FF4FC54C685EAA91723BC8888F292947BA1
e=11

TI-84 (Plus):

prp77 factor: 67070508990537181066342707695603050521324524613874331879259881495826493920589
prp78 factor: 186923771200711284770368041572205320486346816476524340240220962467860568859381

n=EF5FEF0B0AB6E22731C17539658B2E91E53A59BF8E00FCC81D05758F26C1791CD35AF6101B1E35
43AC3E78FD8BB8F37FC8FE85601C502EABC9132CEAD4711CB1
p=94489014C63CC9E1E1ADB192DBBDD1F78F90A630DA9C86EFC4CBCA44E5B4D54D
q=19D431AF2794229620B884E3750D622D1C74F2E4569DC15486FC8D5A3BCDFE2F5
d=2A3E1B2010F318D9BD7C7E19300980B055A0E2A9554B77E7142E23CDF7C7CA13C233A3D462FDFC
968B1F9CEAF2AC2CF305147992AD9E834192ACEBB517DB9941
e=11

TI-89:

prp76 factor: 2231124525637629443181963045297394875470510167130210300957267082210173784611
prp79 factor: 3226885534240147415018248397410101286362761128614350056368675111071170873486957

(these are factors of 71995834568684773636720438651160472297127884480206535156843307841378050889714332
73011970552138960583799368215373582308591928985045059261105298431035818727)

At Layered Technologies we are proud of the pioneering role we've played in the unmanaged server hosting market, as well as the trust we've developed within our community of thousands of clients and partners. We know that this trust is dependent on a number of factors including our ability to provide excellent customer service, market leading products, and highly available facilities and infrastructure. We also know it is imperative that we put in place the tools that allow us to provide more value and higher levels of service to those who depend on us and, like most other businesses, our underlying costs for providing these services have increased dramatically in the past year. As a result it has become necessary to adjust our pricing effective July 1, 2008.

I have never, in all my years of working in the IT industry heard of a data centre raising the prices of their dedicated hosting clients to such a great degree. This is not the first price increase that Layered Technologies has forced on their clients, if my memory serves correct this is the second price increase in less than a year. While Layered Technologies has stated in their email that they have a “technology refresh” available, I received the following e-mail when enquiring about having my server hardware upgraded:

Hello,

Unfortunately we are not offering free hardware upgrades. Please see our specials page here:

http://www.layeredtech.com/dedicated-servers/specials.php

Thanks,
Hallie

*******************************************

Hallie Weaver
Sales – Account Manager
1-866-584-6784 x 7038 > Toll Free
972-398-7083 > Direct
972-398-7055 > Fax
hallie.weaver@layeredtechnologies.com
Layered Technologies, Inc.

On-Demand Utility Computing & Hosting Solutions
Learn more>> http://www.layeredtechnologies.com

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Las Vegas, NV – Caesars Palace www.ltpact.com

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They are telling me that it's cheaper to replace my server, and go through the effort of transitioning over all my software than to simply upgrade my hardware? This is a provider to avoid using if you do not want to deal with unexpected price increases and shoddy support. There is a large thread on Web Hosting Talk regarding the price increases. I suggest if you are looking for hosting I suggest you take your business elsewhere. Layered Technologies does not warrant the premium that they are charging for their services.

They will be testing it on draft before moving it to the main site, and plan to have support for OpenID provider on Blogger (!).