Question

[Ken A]

Rob Poe wrote:
> Is there a way to start MailScanner so that it processes any messages in it's queue, but does not accept new incoming messages?
> 
> I have a client with an older linux box running MailScanner and it's just being crushed ... with spam....
> 
> It's a Celeron 2.0 ghz / 512mb ram / dual IDE disk
> 
>  10:55:02  up 19:05,  1 user,  load average: 6.23, 4.56, 4.04
> 
> Running access lists in Sendmail (to block out other countries) and running the greet_pause feature (which is helping a lot)

Sendmail shouldn't accept mail faster than your system can handle it, so 
tune sendmail a bit more with things like max recipients per message, 
bad recipient throttle, connection rate throttle, and connection rate 
window size(per IP ratecontrol). If you set these to keep sendmail from 
being flooded during a spam attack, MailScanner should have an easier 
time keeping up. Also, add a couple of rbls to sendmail config to reject 
spam outright if it's on a trusted list, like spamhaus.


> Seeing things like this:  Sep  5 10:56:12 mail MailScanner[25809]: Batch processed in 61.70 seconds 
> 
> I've tried 5, 3 and now 2 MS children.
> 

What does 'free' report? Using swap? Increase MS children up to 4 or 5 
until they start using swap, or add ram if they are already swapping.

Ken A
Pacific.Net


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