Paul Vallee wrote:
>
> Hello,
>
> We are having performance problems with our mailserver, especially when we
> try to back it up. I am attempting to set up an incremental backup of the
> imap spool, and preferably to include only files since the last incremental
> backup. I am a reasonably advanced shell scripter, and I don't need help
> with coding that.
off the fs subject: what tools are you using to backup incrementally? i
have to
backup files too and want to do it incrementally but haven't chosen a
route to
take. ...email me off the list if you reply to this question.
>
> My problem is that basic filesystem commands on this mount point are
> intolerably slow, and if I dare to run even find on this filesystem the load
> shoots up high enough to affect service.
>
> This is a dual-400Mhz 1G ram 2.2.16-3 box. I am running ext2 on the
> filesystem in question, and it supports around 25Gigs of mail. It is running
> Cyrus IMAP4 v1.6.1-BETA and cyrus itself has been rock-solid. I am willing
> to upgrade cyrus if it may help, but cyrus is certainly not involved when I
> run the activities that cause problems.
>
> I am told that conceivably ext2 is unfriendly to cyrus imap because of its
> highly-file intensive storage configuration. I am open to converting this
> mount point to a non-ext2 filesystem if it warrants the (not insignificant)
> effort. Does it?
>
> If so, which filesystem is most appropriate? ext3 is very easy to implement,
> but I can't imagine that it could make that big of a difference in
> performance. Reiserfs, jfs, etc. I understand may also be options. I would
> like to hear the consensus best fs for cyrus from the list, please.
i wouldn't recommend ext2 for a mail server. I'm a big fan of SGI's XFS
http://oss.sgi.com/projects/xfs
you'll need linux kernel 2.4.x and use a patch from sgi, or you can
download
the kernel from sgi with the patch already applied.
>
> As an aside, is there an easier way to keep track of messages that require
> backup than what I intend?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Paul
--
Joe Ellis
