[CentOS] check mal server speed n performance

[NiftyClusters Mitch]

On Sun, Sep 7, 2008 at 9:33 AM, fabian dacunha <fabian at baladia.gov.kw> wrote:
> Dear All,
>
> I have Centos 5.1 and sendmail mail server running for over a year and
> been workin fine
>
> i also use mailscanner + clamav
>
> now some remote users have been complaing that the mail sometimes time out
>
> i have even tried to stop the mail scanner and jus test my sendmail but
> the problem exists
>
> now i would apprecite if someone cd help me or let me know of a link where
> i could test the mail server performance and know if its working fine
>
> so to rule out the possibility of any problem with my mail server software
>
> the mail logs r normall and dont show any different thing
>
>
> thanks and regards
>
>
> apprecite ur help

The most likely issues are DNS, virus scan and yet one too many messages.

Look hard at DNS resolution... spam filters now do host name checks
forward, back, inside, out.  A volume email server needs access to a
local quick name server.   Adding a local name server or moving the
local name server to a dedicated machine could be a win.

There is no easy way to benchmark a mail server that is in operation.

One thing to tinker with is a "fetchmail" benchmark of a known set of
messages from
some place like gmail.   You can watch the mail get processed (mailq),
watch the name server and file IO etc.   By refilling your INBOX from
"All Mail" or a saved folder you should be able to play it again.

If you need a pile of spam use a throw away gmail account and almost
register for one of those "free laptop offers" that Google pops up.

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 NiftyCluster
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