Empirical analysis of Android storage management using Network Block Device (NBD) protocol: A comprehensive performance and efficiency study
Tanvir Rahman, Tanjid Ahmed, Md. Sakibur Rahman, Amreen Hossain, Jannatun Noor · Blockchain Research and Applications · 2025
The NBD (Network Block Device) protocol enhances the Android ecosystem's storage management and power efficiency, particularly on ARM devices. The study addresses storage limitations on ARM devices and explores how NBD can provide a solution. By leveraging NBD, Android devices can connect to remote storage resources and expand storage capacity without physical upgrades. This enables Android devices to be used as controllers for IoT networks and smart home appliances. The study includes statistical comparisons of NBD with alternative protocols like sFTP, iSCSI, NFS, SMB, and HTTP. Through read-and-write tests, NBD exhibits superior performance in bandwidth speed and operation duration, with speeds more than twice as fast as other protocols. Furthermore, the evaluation compares NBD's cloud storage capabilities with popular services such as Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and GCP. NBD outperforms these services regarding read and write speeds, completing operations much faster. The study also examines NBD's power consumption, demonstrating its energy efficiency compared to other protocols and cloud storage services. NBD's lower power consumption makes it ideal for energy-sensitive Android applications. In conclusion, the integration of NBD into the Android ecosystem enhances efficiency, storage flexibility, and adaptability. It empowers ARM-based Android devices with increased capabilities and versatility.