[Dovecot] How can we horizontally scale Dovecot across multiple servers?

[Robert Schetterer]

Am 31.10.2011 12:28, schrieb Felipe Scarel:
> Quick question about the usage of DRBD: I'm thinking of a setup on my
> organization here (15k+ users, 4TB of email data), but I'm holding back
> on the clusterization due to the high volume of data.
> 
> Using DRBD would implicate mirroring those 4TB of data across all
> cluster nodes? If yes, I might go with a SAN-based solution, though I
> haven't studied much about that setup yet (the other sysadm
> administrates the VMs and SAN, gotta ask him a few questions).

i wouldnt do that with drbd
as such big setup , there should be enough money using better choices
> 
> On Mon, Oct 31, 2011 at 08:00, Robert Schetterer <robert at schetterer.org
> <mailto:robert at schetterer.org>> wrote:
> 
>     Am 31.10.2011 10:43, schrieb Arlin:
>     > Hi Robert,
>     >
>     > Thanks for the reply. We are upgrading Dovecot to v2.0.15 and other
>     > component's to the latest version. In that case, can we use san
>     for storage
>     > or are you recommending that drbd with ocfs2 is the best way to
>     attain the
>     > horizontal scalability for the mail storage?
> 
>     Hi Arlin, there is no best way, you should choose
>     whatever fits best to your needs an haves
>     so it depends on many stuff ( i.e at last finance, network, manpower,
>     knowledge) etc
> 
>     So all i can say iam just using a loadbalanced cluster setup with drbd
>     ocfs2 maildir dovecot postfix mysql clamav spamassassin on ubuntu lucid
>     lts with 3000 Mailboxes without any big Problems yet
>     but i can imagine that a professional SAN might be better in performance
>     but there is a lot other other questions left , i.e maildir must not be
>     the best solution for mailbox format etc
> 
>     cluster setups with lots of mailboxes are complex
>     in many ways, if you planning a real big mailservice
>     you should ask more here on this list for existing other setups and
>     choose i.e
>     Timo and/or others for professional and paid advice and work
> 
> 
>     >
>     > Thanks,
>     > Arlin
>     >
>     > -----Original Message-----
>     > From: dovecot-bounces at dovecot.org
>     <mailto:dovecot-bounces at dovecot.org>
>     [mailto:dovecot-bounces at dovecot.org
>     <mailto:dovecot-bounces at dovecot.org>] On
>     > Behalf Of Robert Schetterer
>     > Sent: 31 October 2011 14:26
>     > To: dovecot at dovecot.org <mailto:dovecot at dovecot.org>
>     > Subject: Re: [Dovecot] How can we horizontally scale Dovecot
>     across multiple
>     > servers?
>     >
>     > Am 31.10.2011 09:47, schrieb Arlin:
>     >> Could anyone please respond to this query. Thank you!
>     >
>     > you may use loadbalancers i.e (keepalived etc) and/or
>     >
>     > http://wiki2.dovecot.org/FeatLoginProxy
>     > http://wiki2.dovecot.org/PasswordDatabase/ExtraFields/Proxy
>     >
>     > look the list for cluster setups etc
>     >
>     > reading your former post
>     > you want to use many outdated prog versions dont do that a san for
>     storage
>     > might be a good choice some of the list use drbd with ocfs2 and other
>     > cluster filesystems
>     >
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>
>     >> From: Arlin [mailto:arlin at mvs.us <mailto:arlin at mvs.us>]
>     >> Sent: 28 October 2011 17:06
>     >> To: 'dovecot at dovecot.org <mailto:dovecot at dovecot.org>'
>     >> Subject: How can we horizontally scale Dovecot across multiple
>     servers?
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>
>     >> Hi,
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>
>     >> How can we horizontally scale Dovecot across multiple servers? Do we
>     >> require to install independent instances of Dovecot on each server?
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>
>     >> We are planning to use a NAS/SAN device using ZFS or EFS for email
>     > storage.
>     >> Each logical unit will be of 10TB and similarly as the no: of user
>     >> increases we are planning to add multiple 10TB units.
>     >>
>     >> In this case how we can manage the email storage on multiple volumes
>     >> from Dovecot.
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>
>     >> The configuration of our existing system is:-
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>
>     >> Dovecot 1.0.15 / Maildirs
>     >>
>     >> Postfix 2.5.5
>     >>
>     >> Debian 5.0.9 (Lenny)
>     >>
>     >> MySQL 5.0.15
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>
>     >> Please advise.
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>
>     >> Thanks in advance.
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>
>     >> Creative Regards,
>     >>
>     >> Arlin
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>
>     >
>     >
>     > --
>     > Best Regards
>     >
>     > MfG Robert Schetterer
>     >
>     > Germany/Munich/Bavaria
>     >
> 
> 
>     --
>     Best Regards
> 
>     MfG Robert Schetterer
> 
>     Germany/Munich/Bavaria
> 
> 


-- 
Best Regards

MfG Robert Schetterer

Germany/Munich/Bavaria