master(8) - NetBSD Manual Pages

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MASTER(8)                                                            MASTER(8)




NAME

       master - Postfix master process


SYNOPSIS

       master [-Dtv] [-c config_dir] [-e exit_time]


DESCRIPTION

       The  master daemon is the resident process that runs Postfix daemons on
       demand: daemons to send or receive messages via the network, daemons to
       deliver mail locally, etc.  These daemons are created on demand up to a
       configurable maximum number per service.

       Postfix daemons terminate voluntarily, either after being  idle  for  a
       configurable  amount  of  time, or after having serviced a configurable
       number of requests. The exception to this rule is the resident  Postfix
       queue manager.

       The  behavior  of the master daemon is controlled by the master.cf con-
       figuration file. The table specifies zero or more servers in  the  UNIX
       or INET domain, or servers that take requests from a FIFO. Precise con-
       figuration details are given in the master.cf file, and in  the  manual
       pages of the respective daemons.

       Options:

       -c config_dir
              Read  the main.cf and master.cf configuration files in the named
              directory instead of the default configuration directory.

       -e exit_time
              Terminate the master process after exit_time seconds. Child pro-
              cesses terminate at their convenience.

       -D     After  initialization, run a debugger on the master process. The
              debugging command is specified with the debugger_command in  the
              main.cf global configuration file.

       -t     Test  mode.  Return  a zero exit status when the master.pid lock
              file does not exist or when that file is not  locked.   This  is
              evidence that the master daemon is not running.

       -v     Enable  verbose  logging  for debugging purposes. This option is
              passed on to child processes. Multiple -v options make the soft-
              ware increasingly verbose.

       Signals:

       SIGHUP Upon  receipt  of a HUP signal (e.g., after postfix reload), the
              master process re-reads its configuration files.  If  a  service
              has  been removed from the master.cf file, its running processes
              are terminated immediately.  Otherwise,  running  processes  are
              allowed  to  terminate as soon as is convenient, so that changes
              in configuration settings affect only new service requests.

       SIGTERM
              Upon receipt of a TERM signal (e.g., after postfix  abort),  the
              master  process  passes the signal on to its child processes and
              terminates.  This is useful for an emergency shutdown.  Normally
              one  would  terminate  only  the master (postfix stop) and allow
              running processes to finish what they are doing.


DIAGNOSTICS

       Problems are reported to syslogd(8).


BUGS


ENVIRONMENT

       MAIL_DEBUG
              After initialization, start a debugger  as  specified  with  the
              debugger_command configuration parameter in the main.cf configu-
              ration file.

       MAIL_CONFIG
              Directory with Postfix configuration files.


CONFIGURATION PARAMETERS

       The following main.cf parameters are especially relevant to  this  pro-
       gram.  See  the Postfix main.cf file for syntax details and for default
       values. Use the postfix reload command after a configuration change.

Miscellaneous
       import_environment

       export_environment
              Lists of names of environment parameters that  can  be  imported
              from (exported to) non-Postfix processes.

       mail_owner
              The owner of the mail queue and of most Postfix processes.

       command_directory
              Directory with Postfix support programs.

       daemon_directory
              Directory with Postfix daemon programs.

       queue_directory
              Top-level  directory of the Postfix queue. This is also the root
              directory of Postfix daemons that run chrooted.

       inet_interfaces
              The network interface addresses that this system  receives  mail
              on.   You  need  to  stop  and start Postfix when this parameter
              changes.

Resource controls
       default_process_limit
              Default limit for the number  of  simultaneous  child  processes
              that provide a given service.

       max_idle
              Limit  the  time  in  seconds that a child process waits between
              service requests.

       max_use
              Limit the number of service requests handled by a child process.

       service_throttle_time
              Time to avoid forking a server that appears to be broken.


FILES

       /etc/postfix/main.cf: global configuration file.
       /etc/postfix/master.cf: master process configuration file.
       /var/spool/postfix/pid/master.pid: master lock file.


SEE ALSO

       qmgr(8) queue manager
       pickup(8) local mail pickup
       syslogd(8) system logging


LICENSE

       The Secure Mailer license must be distributed with this software.


AUTHOR(S)

       Wietse Venema
       IBM T.J. Watson Research
       P.O. Box 704
       Yorktown Heights, NY 10598, USA



                                                                     MASTER(8)