[cpx] RE: [vps3] CPX issues with too many users? ("loss of user data")

["Brad Haymond" <bhaymond@xxxxxxxxx>]

ProviderTalk,

Regarding the discussion today about CPX user accounts, we want to make sure ProviderTalk subscribers have the most current information regarding CPX and user limits. As with any system, the limits for users, domains, and other resources will vary depending on the usage. A few users with extremely high demands can exhaust the limits of an MPS account, while hundreds of relatively-unused user accounts may run fine for a VPS account. Real-world limitations are based upon actual usage.

This is compounded in the case of CPX because it is a Web-based interface, meaning that Web server limitations and settings also affect performance. Accordingly, administration through the command-line exclusively can generally support more users and domains than administration through CPX.

Official Verio usage guidelines are listed in the Technical Overview document for each product. These official guidelines are admittedly conservative. Actual usage may support more users, but we don't want to guarantee more performance than we are confident the plans can support.

CPX is designed to not destroy user data. Under typical usage, CPX should not perform in the ways discussed in the thread today. These situations appear to be very unusual. If customers are experiencing any problems with CPX, they should contact Technical Support and provide details of the problems so we can duplicate them and fix them.

Our Development Team is currently working to increase the numbers of users and domains CPX can support by several orders of magnitude. We are hopeful these improvements will be realized in the coming months.

Brad Haymond
Verio, Inc.



-----Original Message-----
From: owner-vps3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-vps3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Brian White
Sent: Wednesday, June 03, 2009 8:49 AM
To: vps3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: cpx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [vps3] CPX issues with too many users? ("loss of user data")

>Brian White wrote on 6/2/2009 4:46:46 PM:
>
>>  Just wondering if anyone else is aware
>>  of "known issues" (and what are they? work arounds?) with CPX if it
>>  gets over 200 users.
>
>	I hadn't heard of anything, but that's disappointing if true.
>Our largest is around 300 I think but I'm not aware of current issues.
>There is a CPX list (http://www.groupmail.org/lists/cpx/) you might post
>on...I think some of the developers listen there, or at least used to.
>
>  - Steve Yates

Even more disappointing is the reply I got from support overnight:

"We have experienced issues with customers that have over 200 users 
that try to use the CPX for webmail.  There are issues with webmail 
and adding additional users can cause errors and the loss of user 
data.  This is something we have been working on resolving but at 
this time we do not suggest using CPX to administer that many users. 
Now, the server itself can handle that many users, but we suggest 
using command line to add/edit users and hosts.  We also suggest 
using a mail client like Squirrelmail or Enhanced Webmail instead of 
CPX.  We are hoping these issues will be fixed in the next release of 
CPX, but there has been no confirmation of that or when the next 
release will go out."

Notice the phrase "loss of user data".

Also:  "... at this time we do not suggest using CPX to administer 
that many users".  I appreciate this tech support rep mentioning this 
to me now, but isn't this like closing the barn doors after the 
horses have escaped?

How widespread and repeatable is this? Is anyone reading this that 
has over 200 users in CPX and NOT having problems?

Assuming this tech support rep is correct, why is there not some kind 
of warning or notice built into CPX to let resellers/clients know of 
this "recommendation" before they add 200 or so  users and are faced 
with this after the fact?

Brian White


This email message is intended for the use of the person to whom it has been sent, and may contain information that is confidential or legally protected. If you are not the intended recipient or have received this message in error, you are not authorized to copy, distribute, or otherwise use this message or its attachments. Please notify the sender immediately by return e-mail and permanently delete this message and any attachments. Verio, Inc. makes no warranty that this email is error or virus free.  Thank you.

======================================================================
This is <cpx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>      <http://www.groupmail.org/lists/cpx/>
Before posting a question, please search the archives (see above URL).