Benchmark Disks With fio

Generate repeatable read/write workloads and report IOPS and latency.

LinuxhardwareperformancediskLow risk

Run fio with --rw, --size and --filename to measure IOPS, bandwidth and latency.

01Command

Command

$ fio --name=test --rw=randwrite --size=200M --filename=/tmp/fio.test --runtime=10

02What it does

fio defines an I/O workload precisely, so results are comparable across machines and time, unlike a single dd timing. It can mix queue depths and read/write ratios to mimic databases, and its job files make benchmarks reviewable and version-controlled.

03Risk

RiskLow risk

Requirementssudo apt install fio

!Warning: The job writes a test file and hammers the device; use a dedicated path, never a live database, and expect SSD wear.

04Undo

✓No undo needed — this command does not change persistent state.

05Sources

fio.1.en.html manual page (Debian bookworm)
Debian · technical · 2026-09-20
Evidence: Documents fio job files and its many I/O engines and options.

Last verified: 2026-10-13 · Category: System & Settings

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