Robocopy vs. XCopy NAS Performance Comparison

The purpose of this performance test is to compare the performance of file copy operations to/from a NAS server using the Windows built-in command line file copy utilities Robocopy and XCopy. The performance test was performed on a quad-core machine with 16 GB of system memory running the Windows Server 2016 operating system. The file copy operations were performed between two identical servers equipped with Samsung 950 Pro 1TB SSD drives via the Gigabit network using the same data set containing 30,000 small and medium-sized files.

Performance CounterRoboCopyXCopy
NAS Request Rate 2931.97 Req/Sec 2745.72 Req/Sec
NAS Data Request Rate 366.23 Req/Sec 272.57 Req/Sec
NAS Read Request Rate 182.93 Req/Sec 133.37 Req/Sec
NAS Write Request Rate 183.30 Req/Sec 139.21 Req/Sec
NAS Data Transfer Rate 9.97 MB/Sec 6.65 MB/Sec
NAS Read Transfer Rate 4.97 MB/Sec 3.25 MB/Sec
NAS Write Transfer Rate 5.00 MB/Sec 3.40 MB/Sec
NAS Network Transfer Rate 10.89 MB/Sec 8.36 MB/Sec
NAS Network Received Rate 5.51 MB/Sec 3.83 MB/Sec
NAS Network Sent Rate 5.38 MB/Sec 4.53 MB/Sec

According to the performance results, RoboCopy achieves better results in 10 out of 10 tests including: NAS Request Rate, NAS Data Request Rate, NAS Read Request Rate, NAS Write Request Rate, NAS Data Transfer Rate, NAS Read Transfer Rate, NAS Write Transfer Rate, NAS Network Transfer Rate, NAS Network Received Rate and NAS Network Sent Rate.

RoboCopy vs. XCopy - NAS Request Rate
RoboCopy2931.97 Req/Sec
XCopy2745.72 Req/Sec
More is Better Average: 2838.84 Req/Sec Min: 0.00 Req/Sec Max: 7540.05 Req/Sec

The average NAS Request Rate is better for RoboCopy (2931.97 Req/Sec vs. 2745.72 Req/Sec), the minimum NAS Request Rate is better for RoboCopy (335.17 Req/Sec vs. 0.00 Req/Sec) and the maximum NAS Request Rate is better for RoboCopy (7540.05 Req/Sec vs. 5304.87 Req/Sec).

RoboCopy vs. XCopy - NAS Data Request Rate
RoboCopy366.23 Req/Sec
XCopy272.57 Req/Sec
More is Better Average: 319.40 Req/Sec Min: 0.00 Req/Sec Max: 1437.33 Req/Sec

The average NAS Data Request Rate is better for RoboCopy (366.23 Req/Sec vs. 272.57 Req/Sec), the minimum NAS Data Request Rate is better for RoboCopy (10.47 Req/Sec vs. 0.00 Req/Sec) and the maximum NAS Data Request Rate is better for RoboCopy (1437.33 Req/Sec vs. 1308.03 Req/Sec).

RoboCopy vs. XCopy - NAS Read Request Rate
RoboCopy182.93 Req/Sec
XCopy133.37 Req/Sec
More is Better Average: 158.15 Req/Sec Min: 0.00 Req/Sec Max: 1424.12 Req/Sec

The average NAS Read Request Rate is better for RoboCopy (182.93 Req/Sec vs. 133.37 Req/Sec), the minimum NAS Read Request Rate is identical for both RoboCopy and XCopy (0.00 Req/Sec) and the maximum NAS Read Request Rate is better for RoboCopy (1424.12 Req/Sec vs. 1172.83 Req/Sec).

RoboCopy vs. XCopy - NAS Write Request Rate
RoboCopy183.30 Req/Sec
XCopy139.21 Req/Sec
More is Better Average: 161.25 Req/Sec Min: 0.00 Req/Sec Max: 1274.96 Req/Sec

The average NAS Write Request Rate is better for RoboCopy (183.30 Req/Sec vs. 139.21 Req/Sec), the minimum NAS Write Request Rate is better for RoboCopy (10.47 Req/Sec vs. 0.00 Req/Sec) and the maximum NAS Write Request Rate is better for RoboCopy (1274.96 Req/Sec vs. 1237.94 Req/Sec).

RoboCopy vs. XCopy - NAS Data Transfer Rate
RoboCopy9.97 MB/Sec
XCopy6.65 MB/Sec
More is Better Average: 8.31 MB/Sec Min: 0.00 MB/Sec Max: 88.41 MB/Sec

The average NAS Data Transfer Rate is better for RoboCopy (9.97 MB/Sec vs. 6.65 MB/Sec), the minimum NAS Data Transfer Rate is better for RoboCopy (0.06 MB/Sec vs. 0.00 MB/Sec) and the maximum NAS Data Transfer Rate is better for RoboCopy (88.41 MB/Sec vs. 76.46 MB/Sec).

RoboCopy vs. XCopy - NAS Read Transfer Rate
RoboCopy4.97 MB/Sec
XCopy3.25 MB/Sec
More is Better Average: 4.11 MB/Sec Min: 0.00 MB/Sec Max: 88.31 MB/Sec

The average NAS Read Transfer Rate is better for RoboCopy (4.97 MB/Sec vs. 3.25 MB/Sec), the minimum NAS Read Transfer Rate is identical for both RoboCopy and XCopy (0.00 MB/Sec) and the maximum NAS Read Transfer Rate is better for RoboCopy (88.31 MB/Sec vs. 71.42 MB/Sec).

RoboCopy vs. XCopy - NAS Write Transfer Rate
RoboCopy5.00 MB/Sec
XCopy3.40 MB/Sec
More is Better Average: 4.20 MB/Sec Min: 0.00 MB/Sec Max: 78.99 MB/Sec

The average NAS Write Transfer Rate is better for RoboCopy (5.00 MB/Sec vs. 3.40 MB/Sec), the minimum NAS Write Transfer Rate is better for RoboCopy (0.06 MB/Sec vs. 0.00 MB/Sec) and the maximum NAS Write Transfer Rate is better for RoboCopy (78.99 MB/Sec vs. 76.46 MB/Sec).

RoboCopy vs. XCopy - NAS Network Transfer Rate
RoboCopy10.89 MB/Sec
XCopy8.36 MB/Sec
More is Better Average: 9.62 MB/Sec Min: 0.00 MB/Sec Max: 88.77 MB/Sec

The average NAS Network Transfer Rate is better for RoboCopy (10.89 MB/Sec vs. 8.36 MB/Sec), the minimum NAS Network Transfer Rate is better for RoboCopy (0.16 MB/Sec vs. 0.00 MB/Sec) and the maximum NAS Network Transfer Rate is better for RoboCopy (88.77 MB/Sec vs. 77.01 MB/Sec).

RoboCopy vs. XCopy - NAS Network Received Rate
RoboCopy5.51 MB/Sec
XCopy3.83 MB/Sec
More is Better Average: 4.67 MB/Sec Min: 0.00 MB/Sec Max: 79.19 MB/Sec

The average NAS Network Received Rate is better for RoboCopy (5.51 MB/Sec vs. 3.83 MB/Sec), the minimum NAS Network Received Rate is better for RoboCopy (0.11 MB/Sec vs. 0.00 MB/Sec) and the maximum NAS Network Received Rate is better for RoboCopy (79.19 MB/Sec vs. 76.68 MB/Sec).

RoboCopy vs. XCopy - NAS Network Sent Rate
RoboCopy5.38 MB/Sec
XCopy4.53 MB/Sec
More is Better Average: 4.96 MB/Sec Min: 0.00 MB/Sec Max: 88.45 MB/Sec

The average NAS Network Sent Rate is better for RoboCopy (5.38 MB/Sec vs. 4.53 MB/Sec), the minimum NAS Network Sent Rate is better for RoboCopy (0.05 MB/Sec vs. 0.00 MB/Sec) and the maximum NAS Network Sent Rate is better for RoboCopy (88.45 MB/Sec vs. 71.72 MB/Sec).