Configuring the File Server

The central file server is a critical component of a grid environment. It is essential for each application on a grid node to be able to efficiently access data. Slowdowns caused by the performance of the file storage system could reduce the effectiveness and benefit of using a grid. The amount of storage required and the type of I/O transactions help to determine the type of file storage system that best meets your needs.
Assuming that the SAS jobs running on the grid perform an equal number of reads and writes, it is recommended that the file system be able to sustain 25–30 MB/seconds per core. This level can be adjusted up or down, depending on the level of I/O activity of your SAS jobs. For information about choosing and configuring a file system, see Best Practices for Data Sharing in a Grid Distributed SAS Environment, which is available at http://support.sas.com/rnd/scalability/grid/gridpapers.html.