Brian Blood wrote: > On Feb 29, 2008, at 1:52 PM, Ken Price wrote: > > >>> The MTA has to be able to receive 50k/second in bursts and get >>> them out >>> as quick as possible. Probably not as fast as coming in but from >>> what I >>> understand delivery speed is important. >>> It's coming from some sort of SQL server that they say can deliver it >>> that fast. >>> >> Don't think one server. Think multiple, less powerful servers. 50k >> unique messages a second isn't a realistic goal from a single server. >> Theoretically, you're talking 50k outbound connections to remote MX >> servers. >> >> Also, and I hate saying this, but the advanced features, flexibility, >> and functionality that make Exim so great will also hinder you. You >> don't need a full blown MTA here. Don't hate me, but I REALLY >> recommend Qmail in this application. It's fast, lightweight, and for >> this application ... simple. Might as well go with djbdns on the >> local machines for DNS caching, too. >> > > > I do a lot of architectural consulting for scalable systems and my > sense is the following: > > If they have some app that can lay down 50K emails in one second what > needs to be happening is not SMTP, but something that directly drops > those messages into an MTA's queue directory. > > And that MTA should NOT be Exim. Exim is the cat's meow for being > able to PROGRAM your inbound email. A high-performance SMTP delivery > system it is not. Mr Hazel has stated so himself. > > And for the reason that Marc mentioned (non-RFC compliant behavior in > regards to MX records) and a few others, it should NOT be Qmail. > > The MTA I would recommend for high speed delivery of these messages > is Postfix. A highly tuned Postfix configuration at that. > > As for your hardware, you want a server with LOTS of RAM, dual quad > core, local caching name server, and a VERY fast disk subsystem. > > If the application really does call for SMTP for initial delivery out > of the App, then the executable that sending these will be making TCP > connections directly out of the app to an STMTP server. And, as Ken > rightly suggests, this calls for multiple servers configured as above > sitting behind a Load Balancer. You need to pipeline as much as > possible out of that app, and that takes tuning. > > MY 2 cents. > > > Brian > >
What makes you think that Postfix is faster than Exim? Have you tested it? -- ## List details at http://lists.exim.org/mailman/listinfo/exim-users ## Exim details at http://www.exim.org/ ## Please use the Wiki with this list - http://wiki.exim.org/
