Wouldn't rsync do a better job with an MTA using "maildir" format for message delivery? After all, given two alternative /var/mail/userid files with different "last write" dates, what is rsync to do? I expect it will update the older file to the newer file's content, but the older file could have messages that the newer file did not, depending on what may have failed when. For example, if the older file missed a delivery due to downtime, but is now back up, or if the newer file is newer solely because of a POPD write. A maildir directory, with one file per message, might cause duplicate delivery, but nothing would get lost.
Near-instant failover of mail delivery is probably a research topic, but what about just putting /var/mail on an external RAID-1 box? If the computer dies, move the box to a backup computer. (Ask the backup to answer at the primary server's IP address while it is in service). That is, If a disk dies, let RAID handle it, if a computer dies use another. Not very costly, and it is a lot easier to move a disk from one computer to another than it is to restore from backup. On Fri, 12 Apr 2002, Steven M. Jones wrote: > Remember that I confessed to being a Sendmail, Inc. employee... > > Regarding replication, take your traditional sendmail/POP/IMAP server > and add rsync. Stir vigorously, and you can probably get most of what > your want from replication for your existing platform. A reliable > nightly sync might meet most of your needs _without_ having to invest > in a completely new mail infrastructure... Don't forget the cost/ > benefit tradeoff. ... > Good luck, > --Steve. > > > > --- > Send mail for the `bblisa' mailing list to `[EMAIL PROTECTED]'. > Mail administrative requests to `[EMAIL PROTECTED]'. > > > --- Send mail for the `bblisa' mailing list to `[EMAIL PROTECTED]'. Mail administrative requests to `[EMAIL PROTECTED]'.
