[Gllug] exim rate-limiting

[Bruce Richardson]

On Sun, Jun 30, 2002 at 05:55:39PM +0100, David wrote:
> I've recently had some problems with my DSL connection, meaning that when I
> manage to reconnect, I get several metric shitloads of mail come flooding
> in all at once.  The resulting three zillion procmail and spamassassin
> processes is ... problematic, as the machine slows to a crawl as it swaps
> like a bastard.
> 
> Now, for various reasons I don't want to run spamd/spamc, so any suggestion
> along those lines will be cheerfully ignored.
> 
> Is there any way of getting exim to limit the number of local deliveries
> it will attempt concurrently - and hence the number of procmails it will
> kick off at once?  I would like it to queue incoming mail for later local
> delivery if necessary.

You want to try one or more of the queue_only_load, deliver_load_max or
deliver_queue_load_max.  For instance, if you set

queue_only_load = 7

then if the system load is greater than 7 messages are put in the queue
rather than delivered immediately.  Exim starts queue runner processes
at regular intervals (if running in daemon mode) but each process only
delivers one message at a time so it's a fairly effective throttle.
deliver_load_max works similary but all deliveries including
queue-runner deliveries are blocked.  deliver_queue_load_max allows you
to set a different max restriction for queue runner processes than that
set in deliver_load_max.

-- 
Bruce

I object to intellect without discipline.  I object to power without
constructive purpose. -- Spock
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