[Dovecot] Dovecot vs Exim file locking

[Eduardo M KALINOWSKI]

On Sex, 18 Dez 2009, Daniel Campos wrote:
> We're planning to deploy a large e-mail system storing maildirs in a NAS
> system through NFS. One of the options we're thinking on is using
> Dovecot+EXIM.
>
> As far as I've read in both project's documentation, both services implement
> locking allowing multiple servers to access the same maildirs in order to
> distribute the service load. However, I can't find any information
> explaining whether both locking mechanisms are compatible, whether any
> additional configuration is needed both in Dovecot and/or EXIM, or even
> whether any locking synchronization between both services is
> needed/recommendable at all.
>
> The only remote clue I've found is that, according to Dovecot docs: "Because
> Dovecot uses its own non-standard locking (dovecot-uidlist.lock dotlock
> file), other MUAs accessing the maildir don't support it." (but EXIM is not
> a MUA, anyway)
>
> Anyhow theoretically MailDir could even be considered free of locking
> problems, but I'm not sure of the real implications of putting together
> several Exim and Dovecot installations pointing to the same NFS filesystem.
>
> Any knowledge/experience/link/clue on this would be greatly appreciated.

As far as I know, maildir does not require locking.

I used sometime exim + dovecot without problems. Now I use dovecot's  
deliver, by doing that you'll certainly have no problems.



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Eduardo M KALINOWSKI
eduardo at kalinowski.com.br