[Mailman-Developers] dual processor & large list perforance issues

[Robert Anderson]

What sort of performance gains can mailman expect from going from a
single processor to a dual processor machine?

I'm considering going from a P4 2.0GHz machine to a dual 2.0 GHz Xeon
system (also going from ide to scsi hdd).

My question is will mailman make use of the second processor with
different processes?  Say one processor could be used for serious bounce
processing and the other for subscriber / unsubscribe requests and other
functions? Or will all the locking on list files etc. negate the extra
processor?


Second question/comments:
My total subscriber base in as of today 219,829 (announce only) and it
seems to be killing my current machine.  I'd like to be able to scale up
to over 3 or 400,000 if needed.

Am I perhaps being unrealistic about mailman's abilities to handle
this?  An idea occurred to me that perhaps the only way to stick with
mailman and process large lists could be to split the volume up over
multiple boxes. 

Everything else seems to be able to handle around 200,000 subscribers
except bounce processing (ie MTA can pump out the messages no problems).

It has been suggested Fil at Rezo that pre-processing the bounce
messages without opening the lists and then only post-processing the
bounces against the real lists could improve performance. Is this in
keeping with plans for 3.0 or any other planned future release?  If a
change like this is likely to be accepted into CVS would any other large
list users be interested in assisting with resources for someone to make
the changes and submit them back into the mailman project?

>From an economics per perspective the cost of ownership of additional
box's to run mailman amounts to $1000's of dollars annually.  If through
a number of interested parties all making a small investment we can cut
down of the need for extra machines AND help make mailman a better
system then we have a big win-win.

Anyone interested in discussing this further on or off list with me
would be appreciated (including anybody who might be interested in the
contract to do the work or any ideas of the feasibility / time the
change could make)

-- 
Robert Anderson

Managing Director
Ecommerce Magic Ltd
http://www.ecommerce-magic.com
+64 21 808 525