DoveCot vs Cyrus-Imapd Performance

[Tony Dietrich]

On Thursday 13 Jan 2005 23:21, Kevin Fries wrote:
> Aleksandar Milivojevic wrote:
> | Les Mikesell wrote:
> |> On Thu, 2005-01-13 at 14:32, Aleksandar Milivojevic wrote:
> |>> The only thing that is more complicated, IMHO, is if you already
> |>> have users, and mail folders are in different format.  Than you
> |>> need to migrate it into the Cyrus.
> |>
> |> And what if those users already have existing .forward or .procmailrc
> |> files?  Can you maintain compatibility when you switch?  Does delivery
> |> still work with the sendmail 'plussed' addresses (user+tag) for
> |> addresses that aren't picked off by a matching .forward+tag file?
> |
> | Simple stuff from .forward (mail forwarded to another mail address),
> | no problemos.  Just move it into Sieve.  Vacation program called
> | from .forward, no problemos either.  More complicated stuff, such as
> | users calling custom mail filters, won't work.  Those usually
> | require user accounts anyhow, and that is something to avoid on big
> | installations (actually, anything bigger than home installation, no
> | custom mail filter programs, IMO).
> |
> | Procmail stuff, user's will have to rebuild that from scratch using
> | Sieve.  Another possibility is keeping procmail, and calling Cyrus
> | deliver program directly from it (instead as sendmail mailer).  Some
> | people are doing it, and it works.  For simple procmail stuff, some
> | automation tool could be written, but I wouldn't count on it being
> | too reliable.  Sieve isn't as versatile as procmail.  However,
> | majority of people are using it just to sort mail into different
> | folders on the server.  Something Sieve is perfectly capable of doing.
> |
> | Plussed addresses should work with Cyrus.  It is possible to
> | configure Cyrus so that username+something will go to user's
> | INBOX.something folder.  If plussed address is to be forwarded, it
> | can be done using Sieve.
>
> Aleksandar,
>
> You just proved our point.
>
> Why do I need to do any of that?
>
> With Dovecot, WU, and Courier, it uses system accounts.  Not only
> that, Usermin allows the user to manage their own procmail/forward
> files empowering the user, and relieving me, as the admin, from having
> to do it.  Plus, the user does not need to have the ability to log on
> (restrict telnet, ssh, etc) for security reasons.
>
> And how do the Cyrus tools interoperate with other tools?  The simple
> answer is they don't.  They are a bastard process that needs to be
> managed separately.  There are lots of ways to make the admin of the
> user accounts more complex in an attempt to make the overall
> administration easier.  Tools to place user accounts in LDAP and MySQL
> so the accounts can be reused for mail relay, pop/imap, but also ftp
> and web access, such as Webmin and Postfix Admin.  One admin tool to
> handle it all.  Dovecot, Courier, and WU will all work with that type
> of system, Cyrus does not.
>
> That is why people think Cyrus is more complicated to administer.
>
> Kevin Fries

Horses for courses.

Cyrus is great for sytems with virtual users. I don't want 10 000 users or 
more in my system user database. 
That said, any argument over which software is best rarely reaches a clear 
verdict, because too much depends on the usage of the intended system, and 
the personalities of the people with opinions.
I don't use Cyrus on a small network I run here.  I have used Cyrus on a much 
larger scale.  And Courier.  Each system has its drawbacks.  Each suited the 
needs of the installation, except in one case where the setup was dictated by 
a client with a large wallet and little sense.
I have my price!

-- 
Tony Dietrich
-------------
Fatal error right in front of screen