[Dovecot] Architecture for large Dovecot cluster

[Stan Hoeppner]

On 1/27/2014 11:25 PM, Thomas Johnson wrote:
> Hi Stan-
> 
>>> 
>>> (Stan gives a great run-down on the economics of using a NetApp
>>> or even homegrown NFS filer versus using an object storage
>>> backend.)
>> 
>> Tom I'm sorry I wasted your time with my initial response.
>> 
> 
> No, you absolutely didn't waste my time, and it was certainly of
> great advantage to the list.  I think it was a great write-up of the
> advantages and disadvantages of each different option.  I know my
> situation isn't the standard one...
> 
>>> I am quite familiar with NetApp, and EMC - I used to have a
>>> number of Celera file servers back in my BigFish/FrontBridge
>>> days.
>>> 
>>> But now I'm in a situation where I have dozens of servers with
>>> spare storage bays and unused CPU cycles sitting in data centers
>>> where the power is already provisioned, and a DFS is what makes
>>> most sense for me now.
>> 
>> Had I known these details above up front I wouldn't have responded.
>> I incorrectly assumed you were designing new infrastructure, wading
>> into new waters, because few are yet to deploy DFS for mailbox
>> storage these days.
> 
> I think it's great that you did respond, and thanks for doing so.  I
> know that this is wading into new waters...I'm just hoping I'm not
> really the very first :)
> 
> 
>>> So, I would like to ask once again- is anyone on the list using
>>> the object storage plugin for dovecot at any reasonably large
>>> scale, whether it's an in-house storage solution or S3?
>> 
>> I'm hoping, as I'd guess you are, that someone will respond who is 
>> already doing this.  If someone has it working well it offers
>> others more storage options, which is always a good thing.  Whether
>> it costs more or less than the other solutions, it may still be a
>> better option for some folks either way.
> 
> Dovecot's commercial arm is certainly marketing the object storage.
> I'm just hoping someone is actually using it and can offer some
> guidance.
> 
> Tom


This may be a dumb suggestion and maybe you already have done so, but
since this is a commercial only option, maybe you should contact Timo
directly and see if he can point you to other customers who have
deployed it.

-- 
Stan