Re: [exim] HArdware Suggestions for exim courier-imap

Jeremy Harris wrote:

> Simon Chappell wrote:
>
>> been using Qmail
>
>
>> is also time to move to Exim.
>>
>> We currently have a Dual P3 700 with 6 hard disks with 600 accounts
>> on it. We have moved webmail of to another server but Imap and Smtp
>> is still pushing the 15min load average past 6.00 .
>> We have about 100 users with Outlook using Imap and the rest use
>> Horde webmail.
>>
>> With so many users is there anyone who can give me a few pointers as
>> to how big to go on the new server? I understand that disk IO is the
>> big thing with Imap so we are looking at Raid but not sure whether to
>> move from raid5 to another faster option. Also CPU's and Ram. We are
>> looking at Dual 3Gig with 4Gig of Ram.
>
>
> I'd think that your existing machine ought to support that load without
> breathing too hard. How much disk space is used by your users' mail?
> Do they keep on-server forever, or download-n-delete?
> What runs your raid5? (5 is relatively expensive on writes - I'd suggest
> moving to raid1 assuming you're not limited by space or costs)
>
> Are you running heavy content-scanning? Spamassain?
> What processes consistently take cpu?
> What OS (and version)?
>
> - Jeremy

Hi Jeremy

we have 6 hard disks there is over 60gig of mail which they keep on
server for ever.
Raid5 is handled by the scsi raid card it had 3x18 and now has an extra
3x36gig.
Most of the time it is courier at the top of "Top" and qmail then
ldap(used as an address book) leaping to the top every so often. There
is also mailman gobbling a few of the lesser resources.

i moved spamassassin and antivirus scanning to another server about 6
months ago to free up some resources.

redhat 8.0

Simon