Hello Sanford, Tuesday, November 9, 2004, 2:05:17 AM, you wrote:
I think you're missing the whole point here. I never claimed (at least I don't think I did) that XML was a better/faster way of storing large amounts of relational data with high I/O demands. Of course there are better methods of accessing large amounts of information. XML is nothing more than the 00's version of ASCII. The beauty of it, however, is that just like ASCII, it's a standard that everybody can easily understand and it allows for the consolidation of information. Why do you think MS went to storing all configuration information in XML files rather their old proprietary binary files for IE6? Because, it's easier to manipulate and more transparent. Too many of Imail's FGRs include instructions for editing the registry. Sure, a full fledged RDMS would be the most ideal. Put it all in the dbase where we can manage it. Instead, now we have dbase data, file system data and registry data that all must be added, deleted, updated, backed-up and restored. I'd love to be able to backup my entire mailserver configuration/userbase/etc with my dbase maintenance plan. And, manage all that information from my own applications directly in the dbase instead of tinkering with Imail's marginally effective command line utilities. SW> We've never had any trouble extending IMail to use any combination of SW> tables and views for a multi-hosting environment, and we've created If you've found a way for Imail to be able to update configuration changes initiated through the web interface to a view in MS SQL I'd love to hear about it. SW> management, and a marked disadvantage in userbase management. Now, if SW> the wonder-product were to access the domainbase via LDAP or ODBC _in SW> addition to_ accessing the userbase the same way, that would be Completely agree. SW> Hey, this wonder-product is kewl, it's exciting, but it's self-evident SW> that its developers appear to have chosen the web service buzzword So adding a domain via a command line utility from a server on a different LAN segment across a VPN is easier than doing it with a web service? Don't think your argument holds up here. SW>It's fruitless to pretend that, say, pam_ldap and pam_mysql on *nix SW>are just backward and what they really need is a good SOAP API to a SW>local file. Try that on the Postfix list if you need some heat. :) Exactly, that's why we export our userbase of 40,000 every 15 minutes to 3 inbound PF boxes that handle all invalid address rejection. I think you're taking my argument a little out of context here. I never said XML was some great wunderkind of data storage. It just creates a very comprehensible and standards based data exchange/storage mechanism that is easy to manipulate. In the case of SmarterMail they appear to be using it to consolidate all domainbase and userbase data into one neatly wrapped data store and for the management of the mail server via web services. The only drawback to this is on systems with large userbases and high data I/O . In those cases, it would be ideal to transfer ALL data to a RDMS. BTW - If theBat! has properly read the creation time of your message, GO TO BED ;-) -- Best regards, David mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] --- [This E-mail was scanned for viruses by Declude Virus (http://www.declude.com)] --- This E-mail came from the Declude.JunkMail mailing list. To unsubscribe, just send an E-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED], and type "unsubscribe Declude.JunkMail". The archives can be found at http://www.mail-archive.com.