The purpose of this review is to compare the NAS performance of Windows Server 2012 vs. Server 2012 R2. The comparison test was performed between 8 client machines running the Windows 10 operating system and two identical quad-core servers with the first one running the Server 2012 operating system and the second one running the Server 2012 R2 operating system. The client machines and both NAS servers were equipped with identical Crucial MX300 1TB SSD drives. An identical data set containing 30,000 small and medium-sized files was copied between the client machines and both of the NAS servers using the DiskBoss data management utility, which is capable of transferring data using multiple parallel data streams.
Performance Counter
Server 2012
Server 2012 R2
NAS Request Rate
9000.90 Req/Sec
9251.48 Req/Sec
NAS Data Request Rate
2134.96 Req/Sec
2195.31 Req/Sec
NAS Read Request Rate
1070.42 Req/Sec
1096.99 Req/Sec
NAS Write Request Rate
1064.54 Req/Sec
1098.32 Req/Sec
NAS Data Transfer Rate
57.92 MB/Sec
59.56 MB/Sec
NAS Read Transfer Rate
29.15 MB/Sec
29.72 MB/Sec
NAS Write Transfer Rate
28.76 MB/Sec
29.84 MB/Sec
NAS Network Transfer Rate
61.17 MB/Sec
62.91 MB/Sec
NAS Network Received Rate
30.42 MB/Sec
31.55 MB/Sec
NAS Network Sent Rate
30.75 MB/Sec
31.36 MB/Sec
According to the performance results, Server 2012 R2 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.
Server 2012 vs. Server 2012 R2 - NAS Request Rate
Server 2012
9000.90 Req/Sec
Server 2012 R2
9251.48 Req/Sec
More is Better
Average: 9126.19 Req/Sec
Min: 0.00 Req/Sec
Max: 18356.56 Req/Sec
The average NAS Request Rate is better for Server 2012 R2 (9251.48 Req/Sec vs. 9000.90 Req/Sec), the minimum NAS Request Rate is identical for both Server 2012 and Server 2012 R2 (0.00 Req/Sec) and the maximum NAS Request Rate is better for Server 2012 R2 (18356.56 Req/Sec vs. 17156.08 Req/Sec).
Server 2012 vs. Server 2012 R2 - NAS Data Request Rate
Server 2012
2134.96 Req/Sec
Server 2012 R2
2195.31 Req/Sec
More is Better
Average: 2165.14 Req/Sec
Min: 0.00 Req/Sec
Max: 3150.38 Req/Sec
The average NAS Data Request Rate is better for Server 2012 R2 (2195.31 Req/Sec vs. 2134.96 Req/Sec), the minimum NAS Data Request Rate is identical for both Server 2012 and Server 2012 R2 (0.00 Req/Sec) and the maximum NAS Data Request Rate is better for Server 2012 R2 (3150.38 Req/Sec vs. 2915.73 Req/Sec).
Server 2012 vs. Server 2012 R2 - NAS Read Request Rate
Server 2012
1070.42 Req/Sec
Server 2012 R2
1096.99 Req/Sec
More is Better
Average: 1083.70 Req/Sec
Min: 0.00 Req/Sec
Max: 1786.31 Req/Sec
The average NAS Read Request Rate is better for Server 2012 R2 (1096.99 Req/Sec vs. 1070.42 Req/Sec), the minimum NAS Read Request Rate is identical for both Server 2012 and Server 2012 R2 (0.00 Req/Sec) and the maximum NAS Read Request Rate is better for Server 2012 R2 (1786.31 Req/Sec vs. 1721.82 Req/Sec).
Server 2012 vs. Server 2012 R2 - NAS Write Request Rate
Server 2012
1064.54 Req/Sec
Server 2012 R2
1098.32 Req/Sec
More is Better
Average: 1081.43 Req/Sec
Min: 0.00 Req/Sec
Max: 1832.59 Req/Sec
The average NAS Write Request Rate is better for Server 2012 R2 (1098.32 Req/Sec vs. 1064.54 Req/Sec), the minimum NAS Write Request Rate is identical for both Server 2012 and Server 2012 R2 (0.00 Req/Sec) and the maximum NAS Write Request Rate is better for Server 2012 R2 (1832.59 Req/Sec vs. 1803.64 Req/Sec).
Server 2012 vs. Server 2012 R2 - NAS Data Transfer Rate
Server 2012
57.92 MB/Sec
Server 2012 R2
59.56 MB/Sec
More is Better
Average: 58.74 MB/Sec
Min: 0.00 MB/Sec
Max: 119.85 MB/Sec
The average NAS Data Transfer Rate is better for Server 2012 R2 (59.56 MB/Sec vs. 57.92 MB/Sec), the minimum NAS Data Transfer Rate is identical for both Server 2012 and Server 2012 R2 (0.00 MB/Sec) and the maximum NAS Data Transfer Rate is better for Server 2012 R2 (119.85 MB/Sec vs. 116.28 MB/Sec).
Server 2012 vs. Server 2012 R2 - NAS Read Transfer Rate
Server 2012
29.15 MB/Sec
Server 2012 R2
29.72 MB/Sec
More is Better
Average: 29.43 MB/Sec
Min: 0.00 MB/Sec
Max: 100.69 MB/Sec
The average NAS Read Transfer Rate is better for Server 2012 R2 (29.72 MB/Sec vs. 29.15 MB/Sec), the minimum NAS Read Transfer Rate is identical for both Server 2012 and Server 2012 R2 (0.00 MB/Sec) and the maximum NAS Read Transfer Rate is better for Server 2012 R2 (100.69 MB/Sec vs. 91.49 MB/Sec).
Server 2012 vs. Server 2012 R2 - NAS Write Transfer Rate
Server 2012
28.76 MB/Sec
Server 2012 R2
29.84 MB/Sec
More is Better
Average: 29.30 MB/Sec
Min: 0.00 MB/Sec
Max: 108.63 MB/Sec
The average NAS Write Transfer Rate is better for Server 2012 R2 (29.84 MB/Sec vs. 28.76 MB/Sec), the minimum NAS Write Transfer Rate is identical for both Server 2012 and Server 2012 R2 (0.00 MB/Sec) and the maximum NAS Write Transfer Rate is better for Server 2012 R2 (108.63 MB/Sec vs. 96.21 MB/Sec).
Server 2012 vs. Server 2012 R2 - NAS Network Transfer Rate
Server 2012
61.17 MB/Sec
Server 2012 R2
62.91 MB/Sec
More is Better
Average: 62.04 MB/Sec
Min: 0.00 MB/Sec
Max: 120.84 MB/Sec
The average NAS Network Transfer Rate is better for Server 2012 R2 (62.91 MB/Sec vs. 61.17 MB/Sec), the minimum NAS Network Transfer Rate is identical for both Server 2012 and Server 2012 R2 (0.00 MB/Sec) and the maximum NAS Network Transfer Rate is better for Server 2012 R2 (120.84 MB/Sec vs. 117.28 MB/Sec).
Server 2012 vs. Server 2012 R2 - NAS Network Received Rate
Server 2012
30.42 MB/Sec
Server 2012 R2
31.55 MB/Sec
More is Better
Average: 30.98 MB/Sec
Min: 0.00 MB/Sec
Max: 108.98 MB/Sec
The average NAS Network Received Rate is better for Server 2012 R2 (31.55 MB/Sec vs. 30.42 MB/Sec), the minimum NAS Network Received Rate is identical for both Server 2012 and Server 2012 R2 (0.00 MB/Sec) and the maximum NAS Network Received Rate is better for Server 2012 R2 (108.98 MB/Sec vs. 96.55 MB/Sec).
Server 2012 vs. Server 2012 R2 - NAS Network Sent Rate
Server 2012
30.75 MB/Sec
Server 2012 R2
31.36 MB/Sec
More is Better
Average: 31.05 MB/Sec
Min: 0.00 MB/Sec
Max: 101.16 MB/Sec
The average NAS Network Sent Rate is better for Server 2012 R2 (31.36 MB/Sec vs. 30.75 MB/Sec), the minimum NAS Network Sent Rate is identical for both Server 2012 and Server 2012 R2 (0.00 MB/Sec) and the maximum NAS Network Sent Rate is better for Server 2012 R2 (101.16 MB/Sec vs. 91.92 MB/Sec).