[horde] server capacity ?

[Spyros Tsiolis]

--- On Tue, 2/11/10, Niels Dettenbach <nd at syndicat.com> wrote:
 
> this hardware setup should be more then enough - at least
> if you run a optimal software configuration (suitable kernel
> and binaries). In the past i tried to avoid CentOS where
> possible (because of the inflexibility and the "horrible"
> yum package management) - so i can't say anything more about
> it.


What can I say. I am an old dog. Back in the old days, I used to
install slackware linux. However, due to its package management
(I think it's obsoleted these days) and due to the fact that most
of the times it cannot find complicated adapters (such as the 
hp/compaq 6460 or the 641 or the i5), I stopped using slack and
found refuge on CentOS. Personally I find yum extremely helpfull.
What satisfies me is that it finds dependencies and does not allow
broken deps and packages (it always updates properly for my experience).
I don't know why you say that CentOS is not good but I am pretty sure
you must have your own reasons and respect this. What release are you
using for heavy metal hardware ?

 
> We have implementations with 1GB RAM for (around) 30 active
> office users. U320 SCSI should be nice (assume you run RAID
> 0,1 or 10 something like that). 


Yes, RAID0,1 (or 10 - disk mirroring)


> I would recommend cyrus too (with squatter and idled
> activated) as your POP / IMAP if you want to run it as a
> comfortable IMAP server. It brings a fast fulltext indexing
> engine and allows performance optimization in different ways
> (i.e. partitioning). Not at least it offers SIEVE filters
> and the afaik most complete IMAP proto implementation. With
> idled your clients did not have to poll every minute to get
> their mail fast signaled / received (as soon as the clients
> are able to do imap idle )...


What can I say. I jumped on the IMAP bandwagon just about ten
months ago because of necessity. At first, I was unimpressed by
dovecot. But the more I used it, the more I understood that it
does what it promises. Also, I have to say, the developer is quite
commited and very hard-working. I haven't met to date anyone so
hard-working and dedicated to his project. So, I thought I felt
obligated to use this piece of software. And I haven't regretted it.

 
> If you have more then 1 logic disk it may make sense to
> work with cyrus partitions to divide the loads onto
> different disks. Bringing /var on own disks could improve
> i/o performance - but this is not a requirement.


I use CentOS default partitioning. I, myself, prefer diferrent
partitions (/var, /opt, /usr, /home and so on). However CentOS 
does not do that automatically and to tell you the truth I can't
be bothered about partitioning these days. Thanks to iptables, 
that is :-)


> I did not know xmail, but i can recommend the well known
> and hardly proven EXIM (ideally build from source as "usual"
> for professional EXIM usage) - this is not really difficult
> (just follow exims INSTALL doc) but allows to build a very
> small and efficient MTA/MDA binary which works very
> efficient in RAM, on CPU and i/o subsystems - and combines
> smart with Cyrus / SIEVE. Integration of MySQL and/or SASL
> is relatively easy and very flexible.


Again, old dog here. Hard to learn new tricks :-)
Also, very _VERY_ satisfied with XMail. Eventhough its dev can be
a bit cryptic sometimes (when you ask him something that you cannot
even fully put your finger on it), he is a great chap.
I've been using XMail for ten years now and I am very happy with it.


> Usually Horde / MySQL is consuming most ressources (RAM /
> CPU) if your machine act's just as an satellite host (not
> directly as MX on the public net). Try to use caching in
> horde and - if the defaults not fit your needs - play with
> the MySQL config.


Playing with configs is not my strong point. But duly noted.


> 
> hth
> Cheers,
> 
> Niels.

Thank you kindly for your time and hospitality.

Best Regards,

Spyros




----
"I merely function as a channel that filters 
music through the chaos of noise"
 - Vangelis