Re: 64K User Barrier on Linux

Tom (tomsdf.com)
Wed, 24 Nov 1999 20:03:04 -0800 (PST)

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On Wed, 24 Nov 1999, Ken Gunderson wrote:

> At 07:06 PM 11/24/99 -0800, Tom wrote:
> >
> >On Wed, 24 Nov 1999, Ken Gunderson wrote:
> >
> >> Greets All:
> >>
> >> I was talking with a guy today who mentioned that their server would soon
> >> max out at 64K users. They said it was a Linux thing and were looking at
> >> other Unix clones. The only reason I see this maxing out here is if they
> >> were authenticating via passwd, yet I assume they would be using POP before
> >> SMTP and an SQL database. Is there some other factor that's eluding me
> >> here? (They're running qmail)
> >>
> >> Ciao--Ken
> >> http://www.y2know.org/safari/
> >>
> >> FreeBSD- Viagra for your server ;^)
> >
> >
> > Uids on many systems are limited to 16 bits. If each user is
> >given a uid, you will run out at 64K-1.
>
> Excuse my ignorance, but when you're using pop before smtp authentication
> via SQL database can't you bypass this by having single UID own all the
> mailboxes and have POP daemon configured not to grant access to different
> mailboxes w/o reauthentication? Particularly since most ISP's already have
> such a database for their Raduis servers anyways?

  First of all, they may want every user to have a uid, regardless of
where there info is. That at least means all the standard Unix "just
works" for one. Radius servers can just as easily authenticate via Unix
mechanisms (probably easier).

> I've never done anything on this grand a scale, but rather pieced the above
> together from my various lurks. If I'm totally out in left field here,
> please enlighten me. How do portal outfits like HotMail and Yahoo mail,
> etc. handle this?

  For something like that, it becomes a custom application.

> Ciao-- Ken
> http://www.y2know.org/safari

Tom

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• Reply: Bruno Lopes F. Cabral: "Re: 64K User Barrier on Linux"

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