> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/backup-and-storage/block-storage/overview/storage-performance.md).

# Storage Performance

Compare IONOS CLOUD Block Storage performance classes Essential, Balanced, and Performance, including IOPS, throughput, and volume size specifications.

You can choose from the following Block Storage performance classes:

* [<mark style="color:blue;">**Essential**</mark>](#essential-storage)**:** A cost-efficient class for data that may not require high performance, such as backups, archives, and cold storage. It is based on [<mark style="color:blue;">Hard Disk Drive (HDD)</mark>](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/support/general-information/glossary-of-terms#hard-disk-drive-hdd) or [<mark style="color:blue;">Solid-State Drive (SSD)</mark>](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/support/general-information/glossary-of-terms#solid-state-drive-ssd) technology.
* [<mark style="color:blue;">**Balanced**</mark>](#balanced-storage)**:** A general-purpose class offering a balance between cost and performance, suitable for web servers and development environments. It is based on [<mark style="color:blue;">Solid-State Drive (SSD)</mark>](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/support/general-information/glossary-of-terms#solid-state-drive-ssd) technology.
* [<mark style="color:blue;">**Performance**</mark>](#performance-storage)**:** A high-throughput class for data that requires low latency, such as databases, virtual machines, and applications. It is based on [<mark style="color:blue;">Solid-State Drive (SSD)</mark>](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/support/general-information/glossary-of-terms#solid-state-drive-ssd) technology.

## Performance attributes

The following attributes are used to determine the storage performance:

* **Read/write speed, sequential:** The `read/write` speed for large blocks of data stored in a continuous sequence on the disk.
* **Read/write speed, full random:** The `read/write` speed for large blocks of data that is stored non-sequentially on the disk.
  * **Regular:** The predictable performance of the storage device when handling random read or write operations.
  * **Burst:** The short-term peak performance of the storage device when handling random read or write operations.
* **Read speed, full random:** The `read` speed for large blocks of data stored non-sequentially on the disk.
* **Write speed, full random:** The `write` speed for large blocks of data stored non-sequentially on the disk.

## Essential storage

The following performance and configurations apply per volume. The performance of Essential storage is static and independent of its [<mark style="color:blue;">volume size</mark>](#essential-storage-volume).

| **Storage Performance**                | **Essential Storage**         |
| -------------------------------------- | ----------------------------- |
| Read/write speed, sequential           | 200 Mb/s at 1 MB block size   |
| Read/write speed, full random, regular | 1,100 IOPS at 4 kB block size |
| Read/write speed, full random, burst   | 2,500 IOPS at 4 kB block size |

### Essential storage volume

The following Essential storage volume value applies.

| **Storage Volume**      | **Essential Storage** |
| ----------------------- | --------------------- |
| Minimum size per volume | 1 GB                  |
| Maximum size per volume | 4 TB                  |

Larger volumes can be made available on request. For more information, contact [<mark style="color:blue;">IONOS CLOUD Support</mark>](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/support/general-information/contact-information).

## Balanced storage

The following performance and configurations apply per Balanced storage volume. The performance of Balanced storage scales with the volume size.

| **Storage Performance**      | **Balanced Storage**               |
| ---------------------------- | ---------------------------------- |
| Read/write speed, sequential | 0.5 Mb/s per GB at 1 MB block size |
| Read speed, full random      | 40 IOPS per GB at 4 KB block size  |
| Write speed, full random     | 30 IOPS per GB at 4 KB block size  |

### Balanced storage volume

The following Balanced storage volume value applies.

| **Storage Volume**                   | **Balanced Storage**                                                 |
| ------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Minimum size per volume              | 1 GB                                                                 |
| Maximum size per volume              | 4 TB                                                                 |
| Maximum Read/write speed, sequential | 300 Mb/s per volume at 1 MB block size                               |
| Maximum Read speed, full random      | 24,000 IOPS at 4 KB block size and min. 2 Cores, 2 GB RAM per volume |
| Maximum Write speed, full random     | 18,000 IOPS at 4 KB block size and min. 2 Cores, 2 GB RAM per volume |

Larger volumes can be made available on request. For more information, contact [<mark style="color:blue;">IONOS CLOUD Support</mark>](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/support/general-information/contact-information).

## Performance storage

| **Storage Performance**      | **Performance Storage**           |
| ---------------------------- | --------------------------------- |
| Read/write speed, sequential | 1 Mb/s per GB at 1 MB block size  |
| Read speed, full random      | 75 IOPS per GB at 4 KB block size |
| Write speed, full random     | 50 IOPS per GB at 4 KB block size |

### Performance storage volume

The performance of Performance storage scales with the volume size.

| **Storage Volume**                   | **Performance Storage**                                              |
| ------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Minimum size per volume              | 1 GB                                                                 |
| Maximum size per volume              | 4 TB                                                                 |
| Maximum Read/write speed, sequential | 600 Mb/s per volume at 1 MB block size                               |
| Maximum Read speed, full random      | 45,000 IOPS at 4 KB block size and min. 4 Cores, 4 GB RAM per volume |
| Maximum Write speed, full random     | 30,000 IOPS at 4 KB block size and min. 4 Cores, 4 GB RAM per volume |

### Recommendations

* The performance of [<mark style="color:blue;">Balanced</mark>](#balanced-storage) and [<mark style="color:blue;">Performance</mark>](#performance-storage) storage is directly related to the volume size. To get the full benefits of high-speed SSDs, we recommend booking storage volumes of at least 100 GB.
* You can use smaller volumes for your [<mark style="color:blue;">VDC</mark>](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/support/general-information/glossary-of-terms#vdc), but performance will increase with larger units.
* When storage units are configured in the DCD, expected performance is predicted based on the volume size. Storage volumes larger than 600 GB benefit from the maximum expected performance values specified in the [<mark style="color:blue;">Balanced storage volume</mark>](#balanced-storage-volume) and [<mark style="color:blue;">Performance storage volume</mark>](#performance-storage-volume) tables.


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