ietf-smtp
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [ietf-smtp] [Emailcore] Proposed ESMTP keyword RCPTLIMIT

2021-04-20 07:24:26
Generally speaking when I advise senders on their rate limits, I have them use 
the smallest denominator possible, because most commercial MTAs will take a 
per-hour rate limit and implement it as "send the hour's allotment in a single 
burst and then wait 59 minutes", which I don't think most receivers want, so I 
advise setting a per second limit when possible. One message per second is 
better than 3600 messages per hour if it means a 3600 message burst and then a 
long wait.

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: ietf-smtp <ietf-smtp-bounces(_at_)ietf(_dot_)org> On Behalf Of Ned Freed
Sent: Monday, April 19, 2021 7:34 PM
To: John R Levine <johnl(_at_)taugh(_dot_)com>
Cc: Ned Freed <ned(_dot_)freed(_at_)mrochek(_dot_)com>; 
ietf-smtp(_at_)ietf(_dot_)org
Subject: Re: [ietf-smtp] [Emailcore] Proposed ESMTP keyword RCPTLIMIT

On Mon, 19 Apr 2021, Ned Freed wrote:
I'm especially interested in people's thoughts on rate limits. The 
problem I have with rate limits is, well, how to express them. ...

A little surveying might be in order.

I see that Postfix lets you set both the numerator and denominator of 
the rate limit, but the denominator defaults to a minute.  It has 
separate rate limits for connections and messages.

Exim also lets you set both, the examples use an hour.  The 
documentation says that if you use a large interval that lets people send 
bursts.

Sounds familiar. Oracle Messaging Server lets you set both; the denominator 
default is one hour. 

We store the limits in memcache or Redis so they can apply across mutiple MTAs.
The usual limit is per-IP, but we support per-host and per-domain as well.

The demoninator in PowerMTA is a string rather than a number, possible values 
are sec, s, min, m, hr, or h. It supports per-IP and per-host and probably 
other stuff; my familiarity here is limited.

I assume the Exim and Postfix limits are per-host, which in most cases 
translates to per-IP.

I have to say there's more consistency here than I expected.

                                Ned

_______________________________________________
ietf-smtp mailing list
ietf-smtp(_at_)ietf(_dot_)org
https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf-smtp

_______________________________________________
ietf-smtp mailing list
ietf-smtp(_at_)ietf(_dot_)org
https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf-smtp

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>