Re: [Exim] Shared Spool Dir

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Author: Yann Golanski
Date:  
To: Richard Mayhew
CC: exim-users
New-Topics: [Exim] Problem e-mail
Subject: Re: [Exim] Shared Spool Dir
Quoth Richard Mayhew on Tue, Aug 13, 2002 at 23:43:40 +0200
> Am I correct in saying judging by past posts, that one is able to have exim
> use a shared spool dir.


Yes, but it's not something you want to do ever.

> I intend on running a Shared Spool Directory, shared by 7 SMTP Servers,
> running on a SAN.


You will create an un-usable and unstable system that way. If you want
to do that, use Exchange.

> Are there any special requirements?


Yes, go back and read the thread again and pay special attention to
words such as `bottle neck', `IO limited' and `efficency'.

Seriously, Exim is IO bound -- meaning that the bottle neck _ALWAYS IS_
disk operations, even on RAM disks -- so that using a shared spool
between servers is going to make things worst and not better.

If you are running a large scale system -- which with seven servers you
maybe -- then read the paper I wrote on the subject as it may give you a
clue as to how to do it: www.kierun.org/academic/

--
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