Dedicated Server Recommendations
August 25, 2006 1:52 PM Subscribe
Anyone have any recommendations on dedicated email servers? I have about 150 domains I'll be moving over to some type of either dedicated or VPS Linux server and I'm curious to see if anyone has a happy story to tell on servers.
My current server is with EV1 and it's getting slow from the constant spam attacks so I want to move just the email for all 150 domains to a different server. I suppose it doesn't need to be an email only story, maybe you're just happy with your dedicated server provider.
My current server is with EV1 and it's getting slow from the constant spam attacks so I want to move just the email for all 150 domains to a different server. I suppose it doesn't need to be an email only story, maybe you're just happy with your dedicated server provider.
Response by poster: It's more of a colocation/hosting facility question, though I wouldn't avoid hardware+software solutions either. I've been running qmail on RHEL for a few years now.
posted by Blake at 2:13 PM on August 25, 2006
posted by Blake at 2:13 PM on August 25, 2006
Buy an XServe and send it to a colo. Best thing you'll ever do.
Apple remote desktop, server tools, etc. It's great.
posted by The Jesse Helms at 3:54 PM on August 25, 2006
Apple remote desktop, server tools, etc. It's great.
posted by The Jesse Helms at 3:54 PM on August 25, 2006
If you don't want to go with the aforementioned self-hosting or semi-self-hosting suggestions (always a good learning experience), I highly recommend RimuHosting. Their support, both sales and technical, is absolutely superb, and their prices aren't too bad either (not the best, but definitely not bad). I have a mid-range VPS with them and it's been nothing but roses.
They will even talk to you before you lay any money down, asking you what you want out of the server and what sort of setup you want, and etc. So you definitely can't lose by filling out their little survey form and then speaking with the rep who will contact you via email once the form is submitted.
posted by cyrusdogstar at 8:18 PM on August 25, 2006
They will even talk to you before you lay any money down, asking you what you want out of the server and what sort of setup you want, and etc. So you definitely can't lose by filling out their little survey form and then speaking with the rep who will contact you via email once the form is submitted.
posted by cyrusdogstar at 8:18 PM on August 25, 2006
Oh, and I want to elaborate a tiny bit on what I mean by "superb" technical support. Basically, I know my stuff fairly well, and can tell when a support person is bullshitting or is more of a sales type. The guys I communicate(d) with at Rimu, both before and after I signed up with them, had a really good vibe--they clearly know what they're talking about and aren't going to give you a run-around (but they will tell you if they don't know enough to answer a difficult question).
Also, they advertise somewhat as a Java hosting shop, but that's only because they have some setups oriented towards Java web hosting; they're fine for anything, really. I use them for a primarily Python-oriented collection of websites, as well as email, SSH/SFTP, WebDAV, SVN, and a bunch more besides.
posted by cyrusdogstar at 8:21 PM on August 25, 2006
Also, they advertise somewhat as a Java hosting shop, but that's only because they have some setups oriented towards Java web hosting; they're fine for anything, really. I use them for a primarily Python-oriented collection of websites, as well as email, SSH/SFTP, WebDAV, SVN, and a bunch more besides.
posted by cyrusdogstar at 8:21 PM on August 25, 2006
Buy an XServe and send it to a colo. Best thing you'll ever do.
I guess I completely miss the point of this answer. Why is Xserve better than Linux? Why is colo better? Should he change any part of his configuration? Is Xserve better at resisting spam attacks than Linux somehow?
If your server is slow due to constant spam attacks, the best thing you can do is to address the constant spam attacks. The best way to reduce load from spam attacks is with DNS-based RBLs. I have had great success with these:
cbl
dnsbl.sorbs.net
njabl
spamcop
dsbl
Your question does not indicate what you've done thus far to mitigate the spam problem, but I know for sure that this will help. I'm not a qmail guy, I'm a postfix guy. There are things you can do in postfix to tune your bounce problems (queue shaping, they call it), which ought to reduce the amount of bad mail your server is trying to bounce.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that you should first address the spam thing, and then worry about your OS and the type of facility your machine sits in.
posted by popechunk at 8:48 PM on August 25, 2006
I guess I completely miss the point of this answer. Why is Xserve better than Linux? Why is colo better? Should he change any part of his configuration? Is Xserve better at resisting spam attacks than Linux somehow?
If your server is slow due to constant spam attacks, the best thing you can do is to address the constant spam attacks. The best way to reduce load from spam attacks is with DNS-based RBLs. I have had great success with these:
cbl
dnsbl.sorbs.net
njabl
spamcop
dsbl
Your question does not indicate what you've done thus far to mitigate the spam problem, but I know for sure that this will help. I'm not a qmail guy, I'm a postfix guy. There are things you can do in postfix to tune your bounce problems (queue shaping, they call it), which ought to reduce the amount of bad mail your server is trying to bounce.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that you should first address the spam thing, and then worry about your OS and the type of facility your machine sits in.
posted by popechunk at 8:48 PM on August 25, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by The Jesse Helms at 2:07 PM on August 25, 2006