Hi,

after update to Dovecot 2.1.5 (Ubuntu 12.04, dovecot from https://launchpad.net/~kokelnet/+archive/dovecot21) we are getting a huge ;-) bunch of log entries about " imap(USERNAME): Warning: Inotify instance limit for user 5000 (UID vmail)".

At last I did an echo 512 > /proc/sys/fs/inotify/max_user_instances

but the logentries did appear again after some minutes.

Maybe you have a hint for me? Thank you!

At the bottom my current configuration.

-- Greetings,

Martin Rabl

# 2.1.15: /etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf # OS: Linux 3.2.0-36-generic x86_64 Ubuntu 12.04.2 LTS auth_anonymous_username = anonymous auth_cache_negative_ttl = 1 hours auth_cache_size = 0 auth_cache_ttl = 1 hours auth_debug = no auth_debug_passwords = no auth_default_realm = auth_failure_delay = 2 secs auth_first_valid_uid = 500 auth_gssapi_hostname = auth_krb5_keytab = auth_last_valid_uid = 0 auth_master_user_separator = * auth_mechanisms = plain login auth_proxy_self = auth_realms = auth_socket_path = /var/run/dovecot/auth-userdb auth_ssl_require_client_cert = no auth_ssl_username_from_cert = no auth_use_winbind = no auth_username_chars = abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ01234567890.-_@ auth_username_format = %Lu auth_username_translation = auth_verbose = no auth_verbose_passwords = no auth_winbind_helper_path = /usr/bin/ntlm_auth auth_worker_max_count = 30 base_dir = /var/run/dovecot config_cache_size = 1 M debug_log_path = default_client_limit = 1000 default_idle_kill = 1 mins default_internal_user = vmail default_login_user = vmail default_process_limit = 100 default_vsz_limit = 256 M deliver_log_format = msgid=%m: %$ dict { acl = mysql:/etc/dovecot/dovecot-dict-acl-sql.conf.ext } dict_db_config = director_doveadm_port = 0 director_mail_servers = director_servers = director_user_expire = 15 mins director_username_hash = %u disable_plaintext_auth = yes dotlock_use_excl = yes doveadm_allowed_commands = doveadm_password = doveadm_proxy_port = 0 doveadm_socket_path = doveadm-server doveadm_worker_count = 0 dsync_alt_char = _ dsync_remote_cmd = ssh -l%{login} %{host} doveadm dsync-server -u%u -l%{lock_timeout} -n%{namespace} first_valid_gid = 1 first_valid_uid = 500 hostname = imap_capability = imap_client_workarounds = imap_id_log = imap_id_send = imap_idle_notify_interval = 2 mins imap_logout_format = in=%i out=%o imap_max_line_length = 64 k imapc_features = imapc_host = imapc_list_prefix = imapc_master_user = imapc_max_idle_time = 29 mins imapc_password = imapc_port = 143 imapc_rawlog_dir = imapc_ssl = no imapc_ssl_ca_dir = imapc_ssl_verify = yes imapc_user = %u import_environment = TZ info_log_path = instance_name = dovecot last_valid_gid = 0 last_valid_uid = 0 lda_mailbox_autocreate = no lda_mailbox_autosubscribe = no lda_original_recipient_header = libexec_dir = /usr/lib/dovecot listen = * lmtp_address_translate = lmtp_proxy = no lmtp_rcpt_check_quota = no lmtp_save_to_detail_mailbox = no lock_method = fcntl log_path = syslog log_timestamp = "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S " login_access_sockets = login_greeting = Dovecot ready. login_log_format = %$: %s login_log_format_elements = user=<%u> method=%m rip=%r lip=%l %c login_trusted_networks = mail_access_groups = vmail mail_attachment_dir = mail_attachment_fs = sis posix mail_attachment_hash = %{sha1} mail_attachment_min_size = 128 k mail_cache_fields = flags mail_cache_min_mail_count = 0 mail_chroot = mail_debug = no mail_fsync = optimized mail_full_filesystem_access = no mail_gid = mail_home = mail_location = maildir:~/Maildir:INBOX=~/Maildir/INBOX:LAYOUT=fs mail_log_prefix = "%s(%u): " mail_max_keyword_length = 50 mail_max_lock_timeout = 0 mail_max_userip_connections = 10 mail_never_cache_fields = imap.envelope mail_nfs_index = no mail_nfs_storage = no mail_plugin_dir = /usr/lib/dovecot/modules mail_plugins = mail_prefetch_count = 0 mail_privileged_group = vmail mail_save_crlf = no mail_shared_explicit_inbox = yes mail_temp_dir = /tmp mail_temp_scan_interval = 1 weeks mail_uid = vmail mailbox_idle_check_interval = 30 secs mailbox_list_index = no maildir_broken_filename_sizes = no maildir_copy_with_hardlinks = yes maildir_stat_dirs = no maildir_very_dirty_syncs = no managesieve_client_workarounds = managesieve_implementation_string = Dovecot Pigeonhole managesieve_logout_format = bytes=%i/%o managesieve_max_compile_errors = 5 managesieve_max_line_length = 65536 managesieve_notify_capability = mailto managesieve_sieve_capability = fileinto reject envelope encoded-character vacation subaddress comparator-i;ascii-numeric relational regex imap4flags copy include variables body enotify environment mailbox date ihave imapflags notify master_user_separator = mbox_dirty_syncs = yes mbox_dotlock_change_timeout = 2 mins mbox_lazy_writes = yes mbox_lock_timeout = 5 mins mbox_md5 = apop3d mbox_min_index_size = 0 mbox_read_locks = fcntl mbox_very_dirty_syncs = no mbox_write_locks = dotlock fcntl mdbox_preallocate_space = no mdbox_rotate_interval = 0 mdbox_rotate_size = 2 M mmap_disable = no namespace { disabled = no hidden = no ignore_on_failure = no inbox = no list = yes location = maildir:%%Lh/Maildir/:INDEX=%%Lh/shared-idx/%%u:INBOX=%%Lh/Maildir/INBOX:LAYOUT=fs prefix = shared/%%u/ separator = / subscriptions = no type = shared } namespace { disabled = no hidden = no ignore_on_failure = no inbox = no list = yes location = maildir:/srv/vmail/public:LAYOUT=fs prefix = public/ separator = / subscriptions = no type = public } namespace inbox { disabled = no hidden = no ignore_on_failure = no inbox = yes list = yes location = mailbox Drafts { auto = no special_use = \Drafts } mailbox Junk { auto = no special_use = \Junk } mailbox Sent { auto = no special_use = \Sent } mailbox "Sent Messages" { auto = no special_use = \Sent } mailbox Trash { auto = no special_use = \Trash } prefix = separator = / subscriptions = yes type = private } passdb { args = /etc/dovecot/passwd.masterusers default_fields = deny = no driver = passwd-file master = yes override_fields = pass = no } passdb { args = /etc/dovecot/dovecot-ldap.conf.ext default_fields = deny = no driver = ldap master = no override_fields = pass = no } passdb { args = /etc/dovecot/dovecot-sql.conf.ext default_fields = deny = no driver = sql master = no override_fields = pass = no } plugin { acl = vfile acl_shared_dict = proxy::acl autocreate = Trash autocreate2 = Spam autocreate3 = Sent autocreate4 = Drafts autosubscribe = Trash autosubscribe2 = Spam autosubscribe3 = Sent autosubscribe4 = Drafts autosubscribe5 = public/Files autosubscribe6 = public/Groupware autosubscribe7 = public/EXAMPLE sieve = ~/.dovecot.sieve sieve_after = /srv/vmail/sieve/after.sieve sieve_before = /srv/vmail/sieve/before.sieve sieve_dir = ~/sieve sieve_extensions = +notify +imapflags sieve_global_dir = /srv/vmail/sieve sieve_global_path = /srv/vmail/sieve/globalsieverc } pop3_client_workarounds = pop3_enable_last = no pop3_fast_size_lookups = no pop3_lock_session = no pop3_logout_format = top=%t/%p, retr=%r/%b, del=%d/%m, size=%s pop3_no_flag_updates = no pop3_reuse_xuidl = no pop3_save_uidl = no pop3_uidl_duplicates = allow pop3_uidl_format = %08Xu%08Xv pop3c_host = pop3c_master_user = pop3c_password = pop3c_port = 110 pop3c_rawlog_dir = pop3c_ssl = no pop3c_ssl_ca_dir = pop3c_ssl_verify = yes pop3c_user = %u postmaster_address = postmaster@EXAMPLE.de protocols = imap sieve quota_full_tempfail = yes recipient_delimiter = + rejection_reason = Your message to <%t> was automatically rejected:%n%r rejection_subject = Rejected: %s replication_full_sync_interval = 12 hours replication_max_conns = 10 replicator_host = replicator replicator_port = 0 sendmail_path = /usr/sbin/sendmail service aggregator { chroot = . client_limit = 0 drop_priv_before_exec = no executable = aggregator extra_groups = fifo_listener replication-notify-fifo { group = mode = 0600 user = } group = idle_kill = 0 privileged_group = process_limit = 0 process_min_avail = 0 protocol = service_count = 0 type = unix_listener replication-notify { group = mode = 0600 user = } user = $default_internal_user vsz_limit = 18446744073709551615 B } service anvil { chroot = empty client_limit = 0 drop_priv_before_exec = no executable = anvil extra_groups = group = idle_kill = 4294967295 secs privileged_group = process_limit = 1 process_min_avail = 1 protocol = service_count = 0 type = anvil unix_listener anvil-auth-penalty { group = mode = 0600 user = } unix_listener anvil { group = mode = 0600 user = } user = $default_internal_user vsz_limit = 18446744073709551615 B } service auth-worker { chroot = client_limit = 1 drop_priv_before_exec = no executable = auth -w extra_groups = group = idle_kill = 0 privileged_group = process_limit = 0 process_min_avail = 0 protocol = service_count = 1 type = unix_listener auth-worker { group = mode = 0600 user = $default_internal_user } user = vsz_limit = 18446744073709551615 B } service auth { chroot = client_limit = 0 drop_priv_before_exec = no executable = auth extra_groups = group = idle_kill = 0 privileged_group = process_limit = 1 process_min_avail = 0 protocol = service_count = 0 type = unix_listener /var/spool/postfix/private/dovecot-auth { group = postfix mode = 0660 user = postfix } unix_listener auth-client { group = mode = 0600 user = } unix_listener auth-login { group = mode = 0600 user = $default_internal_user } unix_listener auth-master { group = vmail mode = 0600 user = vmail } unix_listener auth-userdb { group = vmail mode = 0600 user = vmail } unix_listener login/login { group = mode = 0666 user = } user = $default_internal_user vsz_limit = 18446744073709551615 B } service config { chroot = client_limit = 0 drop_priv_before_exec = no executable = config extra_groups = group = idle_kill = 0 privileged_group = process_limit = 0 process_min_avail = 0 protocol = service_count = 0 type = config unix_listener config { group = mode = 0600 user = } user = vsz_limit = 18446744073709551615 B } service dict { chroot = client_limit = 1 drop_priv_before_exec = no executable = dict extra_groups = group = idle_kill = 0 privileged_group = process_limit = 0 process_min_avail = 0 protocol = service_count = 0 type = unix_listener dict { group = vmail mode = 0660 user = vmail } user = $default_internal_user vsz_limit = 18446744073709551615 B } service director { chroot = . client_limit = 0 drop_priv_before_exec = no executable = director extra_groups = fifo_listener login/proxy-notify { group = mode = 00 user = } group = idle_kill = 4294967295 secs inet_listener { address = port = 0 ssl = no } privileged_group = process_limit = 1 process_min_avail = 0 protocol = service_count = 0 type = unix_listener director-admin { group = mode = 0600 user = } unix_listener director-userdb { group = mode = 0600 user = } unix_listener login/director { group = mode = 00 user = } user = $default_internal_user vsz_limit = 18446744073709551615 B } service dns_client { chroot = client_limit = 1 drop_priv_before_exec = no executable = dns-client extra_groups = group = idle_kill = 0 privileged_group = process_limit = 0 process_min_avail = 0 protocol = service_count = 0 type = unix_listener dns-client { group = mode = 0666 user = } unix_listener login/dns-client { group = mode = 0666 user = } user = $default_internal_user vsz_limit = 18446744073709551615 B } service doveadm { chroot = client_limit = 1 drop_priv_before_exec = no executable = doveadm-server extra_groups = group = idle_kill = 0 privileged_group = process_limit = 0 process_min_avail = 0 protocol = service_count = 1 type = unix_listener doveadm-server { group = mode = 0600 user = } user = vsz_limit = 18446744073709551615 B } service imap-login { chroot = login client_limit = 0 drop_priv_before_exec = no executable = imap-login extra_groups = group = idle_kill = 0 inet_listener imap { address = port = 143 ssl = no } inet_listener imaps { address = port = 993 ssl = yes } privileged_group = process_limit = 0 process_min_avail = 0 protocol = imap service_count = 1 type = login user = $default_login_user vsz_limit = 18446744073709551615 B } service imap { chroot = client_limit = 1 drop_priv_before_exec = no executable = imap extra_groups = group = idle_kill = 0 privileged_group = process_limit = 2048 process_min_avail = 0 protocol = imap service_count = 1 type = unix_listener login/imap { group = mode = 0666 user = } user = vsz_limit = 18446744073709551615 B } service indexer-worker { chroot = client_limit = 1 drop_priv_before_exec = no executable = indexer-worker extra_groups = group = idle_kill = 0 privileged_group = process_limit = 10 process_min_avail = 0 protocol = service_count = 0 type = unix_listener indexer-worker { group = mode = 0600 user = $default_internal_user } user = vsz_limit = 18446744073709551615 B } service indexer { chroot = client_limit = 0 drop_priv_before_exec = no executable = indexer extra_groups = group = idle_kill = 0 privileged_group = process_limit = 1 process_min_avail = 0 protocol = service_count = 0 type = unix_listener indexer { group = mode = 0666 user = } user = $default_internal_user vsz_limit = 18446744073709551615 B } service ipc { chroot = empty client_limit = 0 drop_priv_before_exec = no executable = ipc extra_groups = group = idle_kill = 0 privileged_group = process_limit = 1 process_min_avail = 0 protocol = service_count = 0 type = unix_listener ipc { group = mode = 0600 user = } unix_listener login/ipc-proxy { group = mode = 0600 user = $default_login_user } user = $default_internal_user vsz_limit = 18446744073709551615 B } service lmtp { chroot = client_limit = 1 drop_priv_before_exec = no executable = lmtp extra_groups = group = idle_kill = 0 privileged_group = process_limit = 0 process_min_avail = 0 protocol = lmtp service_count = 0 type = unix_listener lmtp { group = mode = 0666 user = } user = vsz_limit = 18446744073709551615 B } service log { chroot = client_limit = 0 drop_priv_before_exec = no executable = log extra_groups = group = idle_kill = 4294967295 secs privileged_group = process_limit = 1 process_min_avail = 0 protocol = service_count = 0 type = log unix_listener log-errors { group = mode = 0600 user = } user = vsz_limit = 18446744073709551615 B } service managesieve-login { chroot = login client_limit = 0 drop_priv_before_exec = no executable = managesieve-login extra_groups = group = idle_kill = 0 inet_listener sieve { address = port = 4190 ssl = no } inet_listener sieve_deprecated { address = port = 2000 ssl = no } privileged_group = process_limit = 0 process_min_avail = 0 protocol = sieve service_count = 1 type = login user = $default_login_user vsz_limit = 18446744073709551615 B } service managesieve { chroot = client_limit = 1 drop_priv_before_exec = no executable = managesieve extra_groups = group = idle_kill = 0 privileged_group = process_limit = 0 process_min_avail = 0 protocol = sieve service_count = 1 type = unix_listener login/sieve { group = mode = 0666 user = } user = vsz_limit = 18446744073709551615 B } service pop3-login { chroot = login client_limit = 0 drop_priv_before_exec = no executable = pop3-login extra_groups = group = idle_kill = 0 inet_listener pop3 { address = port = 110 ssl = no } inet_listener pop3s { address = port = 995 ssl = yes } privileged_group = process_limit = 0 process_min_avail = 0 protocol = pop3 service_count = 1 type = login user = $default_login_user vsz_limit = 18446744073709551615 B } service pop3 { chroot = client_limit = 1 drop_priv_before_exec = no executable = pop3 extra_groups = group = idle_kill = 0 privileged_group = process_limit = 1024 process_min_avail = 0 protocol = pop3 service_count = 1 type = unix_listener login/pop3 { group = mode = 0666 user = } user = vsz_limit = 18446744073709551615 B } service replicator { chroot = client_limit = 0 drop_priv_before_exec = no executable = replicator extra_groups = group = idle_kill = 4294967295 secs privileged_group = process_limit = 1 process_min_avail = 0 protocol = service_count = 0 type = unix_listener replicator { group = mode = 0600 user = $default_internal_user } user = vsz_limit = 18446744073709551615 B } service ssl-params { chroot = client_limit = 0 drop_priv_before_exec = no executable = ssl-params extra_groups = group = idle_kill = 0 privileged_group = process_limit = 0 process_min_avail = 0 protocol = service_count = 0 type = startup unix_listener login/ssl-params { group = mode = 0666 user = } user = vsz_limit = 18446744073709551615 B } service stats { chroot = empty client_limit = 0 drop_priv_before_exec = no executable = stats extra_groups = fifo_listener stats-mail { group = mode = 0600 user = } group = idle_kill = 4294967295 secs privileged_group = process_limit = 1 process_min_avail = 0 protocol = service_count = 0 type = unix_listener stats { group = mode = 0600 user = } user = $default_internal_user vsz_limit = 18446744073709551615 B } shutdown_clients = yes ssl = yes ssl_ca = was automatically rejected:%n%r } protocol sieve { managesieve_notify_capability = mailto managesieve_sieve_capability = fileinto reject envelope encoded-character vacation subaddress comparator-i;ascii-numeric relational regex imap4flags copy include variables body enotify environment mailbox date ihave imapflags }