Infrastructure scaling assessment and recommendations

In order to provide an optimized initial implementation of the Templafy Email Signature Server solution, consideration should be given to the email sending rates for your organization.

This guide will cover one way to get an idea of average emails sent per minute. This information can be used to determine if the default implementation cluster configuration is adequate for your organization, or if more nodes and pods my be required.

Terminology

There are some terms that Kubernetes uses it's own terminology for underlying technologies that you may be more familiar with.

• Cluster: This is nearly synonymous with Kubernetes itself. This is the collection of Nodes and Pods that comprise both the applications which deliver a given solution as well as the processes that make up Kubernetes and allow it to automatically maintain and manage the solution. In this case the solution is the Templafy Email Signature Server for Microsoft 365.

   

• Node: These are actual virtual machines running in your Azure subscription that will host Pods. These are what have actual costs, billed by Microsoft, associated with them running in your organizations Azure subscription.

   

• Pod: These are docker containers that are running a single instance of a Templafy Email Signature Server. Pods run within a Node and are distributed automatically across the Nodes in the cluster by Kubernetes.

   

Prerequisites

• Microsoft 365 user with View-Only Organization Management level permissions or higher.

Review the Email Activity Reports

1. Go to https://admin.microsoft.com/Adminportal/Home#/reportsUsage/EmailActivity
2. Review the various peak Sent email points for 7, 30, 90, and 180 days.
3. Look for trends and the highest peaks for the Sent emails data point.
4. Divide that number by 12 (hours in a day) if your organization generally sends email during a daytime oriented timeframe. Or divide by 24 if your organization is sending emails dispersed throughout the day and night.
5. Take the number from step 4 and divide by 60 (for minutes).
6. This number will give a general indication of emails sent per minute. Use this figure to consult the table below for guidance on what should be the most appropriate initial implementation sizing.

Infrastructure recommendations based on PEAK load of emails sent per minute

• Microsoft Azure | Linux Virtual Machine Pricing
• Prices are estimates as of May 2020
• Pricing can vary depending on the Azure region
• Bolded entry in the table above indicates the current default implementation.

Algorithm

Baseline: 10 emails/pod (average taking into account different mail types and sizes)
Pod CPU range: 300-500 Mi CPU (1000 Mi = 1 vCPU) ( * )
Pod Memory range: 300-800 MB ( * )
Ratio pods per node is dependent on the Virtual machine type chosen.

DS2 V2: recommended 3 pods per node.
F4s V2: recommended 7-10 pods per node.

( * ) Tested values
Avoid situations in which all your pods are full in a node.