Date: Wed, 15 Sep 1999 10:38:15 -0300 (GMT) From: Fernando Schapachnik <fpscha@ns1.sminter.com.ar> To: freebsd-isp@freebsd.org Subject: SMTP load balancing Message-ID: <199909151338.KAA15642@ns1.sminter.com.ar>
next in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
Hello:
I've a situation on which I need some help. We're running a busy
mail server, now on a Sun. As vertical scalability is very expensive I'm
considering building an -individually inexpensive- FreeBSD cluster.
What I'm certain about is that I don't what to use NFS, because of
all the problem it generates (locking, etc.).
I thought about building something like:
+-----------+ +----- Server 1
| Front end | |
| DNS MX |--------+----- Server 2
+-----------+ |
+----- Server ...
|
+----- Server n
The idea is that there is one machine pointed by the MX record
that receives incoming mail and distributes it between the other servers.
Some problems arise:
a) The front end still has to manage the huge amount of incoming mail.
b) Uniform POP3 access to mailboxes under the same name becomes imposible.
Another posibility would be to have something like
+-------------+ +-------------+ +---------------+ +-------------+
| Front end 1 | | Front end 2 | | Front end ... | | Front end n |
+-------------+ +-------------+ +---------------+ +-------------+
| | | |
+---------------+---------+---------+-----------------+
|
+------------+
| Disk array |
+------------+
But... such a thing exists? I mean: an external disk array that
can be mounted by several FreeBSD machines at the same time. I think not.
May be replacing the disk array by another machine, which has the file
repository and is the POP3 server?
I would really aprettiate any comment or suggestion.
Thanks for your time!
Fernando P. Schapachnik
Administración de la red
VIA Net Works Argentina SA
Diagonal Roque Sáenz Peña 971, 4º y 5º piso.
1035 - Capital Federal, Argentina.
(54-11) 4323-3333
http://www.via-net-works.net.ar
To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org
with "unsubscribe freebsd-isp" in the body of the message
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?199909151338.KAA15642>