Target Skills:

Ability to describe the different IMAP4 and POP3 process settings.

 
 
 

More Info:

IMAP4 and POP3 Performance Parameters (Admin Guide)

IMAP4 and POP3 Process Settings 


The IMAP4 and POP3 process settings directly affect how your server performs.  The default values will work for most typical environments, but you may want to change these settings to increase performance for special environments.  Below are overviews of each setting, with links for further discussions, from the Adminstrator's Guide.
 

Number of Processes

Messaging Server can divide its work among several executing processes, which in some cases can increase efficiency. This capability is especially useful with multiprocessor server machines, in which adjusting the number of server processes can allow more efficient distribution of multiple tasks among the hardware processors.

Number of Connections per Process

You can specify the number of connections per IMAP4 or POP3 process.  The more simultaneous client connections your IMAP4 or POP3 service can maintain, the better it is for clients. On the other hand, each open connection consumes memory resources and makes demands on the I/O subsystem of your server machine, so there is a practical limit to the number of simultaneous sessions you can expect the server to support. The default values represent roughly equivalent demands that can be handled by a typically configured server machine. 

Number of Threads per Process

The server's use of threads greatly increases execution efficiency, because commands in progress are not holding up the execution of other commands.  Having more simultaneously executing threads means that more client requests can be handled without delay, so that a greater number of clients can be serviced quickly. However, there is a performance overhead to dispatching among threads, so there is a practical limit to the number of threads the server can make use of.  The default values are high enough that it is unlikely you would ever need to increase them.
 

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