I/O statistics provide the data for basic performance analysis; I/O traces serve for more detailed analysis. With an I/O trace, focus is narrowed to obtain an event trace for a specific workload. This helps to explicitly identify the location and size of a hot spot, as well as which application is causing it.

Using data from I/O traces, real work loads on disks can be simulated and the results traced. By using these statistics, you can anticipate system limitations and plan for additional resources.