Understanding Drive Cloning Duration: A Closer Look at Clonezilla Performance
In the realm of data management, cloning drives is a common task that can range from straightforward to complex, depending on multiple factors. Recently, I embarked on cloning a nearly full 1TB M.2 NVMe drive to a fresh 2TB M.2 NVMe SSD using Clonezilla, a popular open-source disk imaging tool. While the process initially estimated a completion time of approximately six hours, the actual duration proved significantly longer, raising questions about expected performance and bottlenecks.
The Cloning Scenario
The task involved copying the entire contents of a heavily utilized 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD to a larger 2TB counterpart. Due to the drive’s near-full status, the clone process was expected to take several hours, but the initial estimate of six hours seemed reasonable for a setup of this nature. To avoid interruptions, the cloning was started overnight.
Observed Performance and Current Status
After 15 hours of operation, the cloning process reported being 59% complete. The current transfer rate was approximately 586 MB/min, with an estimated remaining time of around ten hours. This extended duration prompts an examination of what influences cloning speed and whether the observed performance aligns with typical expectations.
Are These Speeds Normal?
Given modern NVMe drives’ capabilities, transfer rates of hundreds of MB/sec are not uncommon—often reaching 1,000 MB/sec or more under optimal conditions. However, the observed rate of about 0.6 MB/sec (roughly 586 MB/min) is markedly slower than expected. Several factors can affect cloning speed, including:
- Drive health and age: A failing or degraded drive can slow data transfer.
- Connection interfaces: Ensure the NVMe drives are properly connected via PCIe slots and not subjected to bandwidth limitations.
- Cloning method: Clonezilla’s imaging method can influence transfer rates, especially if it’s performing bit-by-bit copies or verifying data.
- System load: Background processes or limited system resources can hinder performance.
- Block sizes and file types: The nature of files on the drive can impact cloning speed depending on the copying algorithms used.
Expected Data Transfer Rates
In optimal conditions, NVMe SSDs communicate at several gigabytes per second. For instance, high-performance drives can sustain 1-3 GB/sec, translating to 60-180 GB/min. The current rate suggests that the process is bottlenecked somewhere in the system or that the actual
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