Utilities · Benchmark
dd Block-Size Benchmark
Sweeps dd block sizes from 512B to 64MB to find the fastest one for this disk.
- Status:
- Archived
- Stack
- 4
- Architecture notes
- 3
Internal enterprise or private repository
Ask me about this projectOverview
Works out the best dd block size for a given machine by sweeping from 512 B up to 64 MB and reporting throughput at each step. Worth running before you image or clone a drive: the right block size can save you hours.
Architecture Breakdown
How it works
Core mechanics, failure recovery paths, and system design decisions.
- 01
Sweep
Runs dd across the whole block-size range and records throughput at each step.
- 02
Cache handling
Clears the kernel page cache between runs, so every number reflects real disk I/O and you can trust the winner.
- 03
Report
Prints throughput per block size, so the right value for that particular machine and disk is obvious.
Key Takeaways
Engineering Highlights
- Cache-aware, so you can trust every number
- Answers one narrow question properly
- Run it once before a long imaging job
- Integrated as the bench/ throughput benchmark module in the unified pi-image-tools suite
Stack & Tools
- Bash
- dd
- I/O benchmarking
- Cache-aware