In my specific circumstance (lots of small files grouped in large quantities in single directories), I am unhappy with the performance of the F540 that I have. NetApp tech support and I have been working on the issue for almost 3 months now, and resolution may be in sight.
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But this application sounds disturbingly similar to Internet news...and the NetApp's tend to excel in that!
We noticed a 300% performance increase versus a Sun StorageArray, for example.
We use an F330 for News, and are very happy with the performance and stability.
That being said, our NetApp/Ultrasparc system still isn't very happy with 200.000 (or more) files in control.cancel, and we also see the occasional "not responding still trying" during renumbering (i.e. readings lots of directory entries, including some moderately large ones.
(We no longer have the problem with control.cancel after we started deleting the cancel messages every few hours. The renumber problem is still with us, but isn't *enough* of a problem to worry about.)
My conclusion is that a NetApp works much better than the traditional Unix file system for lots of small files - but there are limits even to what a NetApp will take of file system "abuse".
The obvious long term solution for News is a few large files for the article store, like Diablo does it - and like Scott Fritchie's mods to INN.
Steinar Haug, Nethelp consulting, sthaug@nethelp.no