[Dovecot] Advice, Converting a Live/Production server.
I want to mess with a live server. (a Bad thing).
I have googled until my eyes boogled, wiki'ed until my fingers are wonked, have read as much as I can read, however I'm left with a few questions/worries.
Issue: I am currently running Dovecot as a pop3 server with standard /var/mail mbox's I would like to run a mixed Imap/Pop3 server with ~/maildir inbox's
The thread http://www.dovecot.org/list/dovecot/2006-February/011304.html is fairly close to what I want to do, but I would like to go ahead and convert to maildir. (Mixed pop3/imap access for each user)
I don't have a system to test, "I used have one but it's now the production server... PW/Disk failed, thank G-D(s) for rsync/backups".
Setup: procmail, dovecot 1.0 beta 8.2 (fc5), squirrelmail.
all users use outlook (2000,2003) or outlook express (random versions) (^^^^ not my choice, I just have to deal with it {and use it} ^^^^^)
the majority of users will continue to use pop3, however some would like to convert to imap and have all mail stored on the server.
Questions:
/etc/procmailrc? just set default to ~/maildir? do I need to define "INBOX"? aka $MAILDIR=~/maildir/, $ORGMAIL=~/maildir/, $DEFAULT=~/maildir/
Same as above, what about new/cur should I set up a /etc/skel?
close to above, if I create rules, for spam, etc. do I need to worry about cur/new.
close to above, what about Sent Items, Drafts etc... for imap users, I do understand that client rules would likely be needed to store sent items.
conversion, anything to look for? mb2md seems to work, but some users have "don't delete from server set", will they get dups? (I can live with this)
archiving, can I (or a script) mess with the files in the maildir? aka keep the number of files/messages less than 16k for the outlook users.
Bugs, should I cool my heals, and wait for rc16 or 1.0 final? I am currently running problem free, and I do hate to mess with something which is not busted.
TIA Michael.
On Sunday 10 December 2006 19:16, Michael Dilworth wrote:
I am currently running Dovecot as a pop3 server with standard /var/mail mbox's I would like to run a mixed Imap/Pop3 server with ~/maildir inbox's
I would suggest first using mbox for everything, since you already have mbox working.
Dovecot can support a mixed environment, and maildir is indeed somewhat faster, but if only some of your users intend to use imap, mbox plus dovecot's indexes may very well be sufficient without conversion. If the performance is acceptable, you might not need to run a mixed environment.
Regards,
- Brian
Incremental backups with Maildir are much faster and easier and more efficient and ...
Another thing is stability. Corrupted mailbox ruins whole mailbox (or at least might ruin), which could be thousands of messages. Corrupted message in Maildir is just one corrupted message.
FiL
Brian G. Peterson wrote:
On Sunday 10 December 2006 19:16, Michael Dilworth wrote:
I am currently running Dovecot as a pop3 server with standard /var/mail mbox's I would like to run a mixed Imap/Pop3 server with ~/maildir inbox's
I would suggest first using mbox for everything, since you already have mbox working.
Dovecot can support a mixed environment, and maildir is indeed somewhat faster, but if only some of your users intend to use imap, mbox plus dovecot's indexes may very well be sufficient without conversion. If the performance is acceptable, you might not need to run a mixed environment.
Regards,
- Brian
I have just written an article for SysAdmin magazine on how to perform a gradual conversion from mbox to maildir with dovecot. Contact me off-list if you would like me to mail you a first draft for review. I have no idea when it might actually show up in the magazine.
Also I would welcome any dovecot gurus who would like to review my article for accuracy to take a look at it too.
P.
On 01/26/07, FiL @ Kpoxa wrote:
Incremental backups with Maildir are much faster and easier and more efficient and ...
Another thing is stability. Corrupted mailbox ruins whole mailbox (or at least might ruin), which could be thousands of messages. Corrupted message in Maildir is just one corrupted message.
FiL
Brian G. Peterson wrote:
On Sunday 10 December 2006 19:16, Michael Dilworth wrote:
I am currently running Dovecot as a pop3 server with standard /var/mail mbox's I would like to run a mixed Imap/Pop3 server with ~/maildir inbox's
I would suggest first using mbox for everything, since you already have mbox working.
Dovecot can support a mixed environment, and maildir is indeed somewhat faster, but if only some of your users intend to use imap, mbox plus dovecot's indexes may very well be sufficient without conversion. If the performance is acceptable, you might not need to run a mixed environment.
Regards,
- Brian
-- Phil Hollenback hollenba@schrodinger.com Schrodinger, Inc.
participants (4)
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Brian G. Peterson
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FiL @ Kpoxa
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Michael Dilworth
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Philip J. Hollenback