High Load average - sendmail rejecting connections on port 25

[Joe Walker_4]

I originally replied to this thread which is about the same problem:
http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=199317
but was asked to open a new one.

I have configured the sendmail.cf as follows:
MaxDaemonChildren=60
QueueLA=60
RefuseLA=60
Even then we get the rejecting connections and skipping processing of the queue. I am trying to identify what is causing the high load average.

I have the output of the perfomance command attached if anyone can decipher and amke a recommendation tia.

[Tom Danzig]

318 processes on a one processor box is excessive. A run queue of 42 is HUGE! I believe you just have too many processes running. Try and reduce the number of unecessary processes running.

[Geoff Wild]

Strange - you do need to identify what is causing the load - got glance? as cpu is idle...

Could try setting:

DelayLA=0

Which means "load average at which we delay connections; 0 means no limit"

I assume you restarted sendmail after making the above changes?

Rgds...Geoff

[Steven E. Protter · Accepted solution]

Shalom Joe,

Load factor is not the criteria for making performance decisions. User response is. If the box is working right and response time is normal, then a high load may not be a problem.

http://www.hpux.ws/system.perf.sh

This script set measures performance over time in the background. Note that any kind of performance monitoring takes resources and distorts results.

If all is wll, you can merely raise the RefuseLA value and the problem will be solved.

Sendmail's method prevents denial of service attacks, but does not account for load factor problems caused by applications other than sendmail.

SEP

[Joe Walker_4]

I see how this works now. :)
Thx for the quick replies.

I do have glance trial installed and am using reflectionX to use the gpm but am ignorant on how to effectively use it.
User response is fine on the box but mail sitting in the queue is not ideal and that is the main problem I want to correct.
I will try the suggestions and report back.
Many Thanks,
jw

[Joe Walker_4]

Thx