dovecot - Feb 2010 - scalability

Hi Folks,

How scalable is dovecot. Do you think a machine with a dual core 2.8Ghz 
processor and 2GB of RAM would do a business with 600 users? This server 
will have a 100Mbps link to the net, however it will be access by the 
business using a couple of ADSL lines (Roughly 7Mbps each).

This machine will also be running Postfix

Your help is appreciated

Cheers

Jonny

On Feb 12, 2010, at 4:57 PM, Jonathan Tripathy wrote:
> How scalable is dovecot. Do you think a machine with a dual core  
> 2.8Ghz processor and 2GB of RAM would do a business with 600 users?  
> This server will have a 100Mbps link to the net, however it will be  
> access by the business using a couple of ADSL lines (Roughly 7Mbps  
> each).
   I'm running about twice that (though mostly low-traffic users) on  
about 2/3 of a machine at one site.  Dovecot is VERY fast.

              -Dave

-- 
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL

Quoting Jonathan Tripathy <jonnyt at abpni.co.uk>:
> How scalable is dovecot.
Very, but also it will vary by how you implement it (mbox or maildir,
local or remote disk, etc).
> Do you think a machine with a dual core 2.8Ghz processor and 2GB of  
> RAM would do a business with 600 users?
Yes, unless something else is slowing it down.
> This machine will also be running Postfix
If it is only running Postfix, it will probably be okay most of the time,
but if Postfix gets slammed it may slow down dovecot (actually the machine)
for a bit...

But if in addition to postfix it is doing (local) anti-virus and anti-spam
and such, it may not be sufficient, depending on setup.

In my experience, dovecot takes almost no resources, Postfix/sendmail
on take excessive resources occasionally when a spammer/hacker is hitting
the machine hard, and anti-spam/anti-virus programs can bring any system
to its knees...
> Your help is appreciated
To few details to give any definitive answers...
> Cheers
>
> Jonny

-- 
Eric Rostetter
The Department of Physics
The University of Texas at Austin

Go Longhorns!