[Dovecot] Inotify max_user_instances

[Daniel L. Miller]

Maybe I have multiple problems - dunno.

I've started seeing the following log lines:
Mar  7 07:46:22 bubba dovecot: imap(dmiller at amfes.com): Warning: Inotify 
instance limit for user 5000 (UID vmail) exceeded, disabling. Increase 
/proc/sys/fs/inotify/max_user_instances

max_user_instances is currently 128.

I've tried stopping and restarting dovecot - the message immediately 
returns.  I could just increase max_user_instances - but I'd like to 
understand what the number SHOULD be and why simply restarting Dovecot 
doesn't fix it.  If this issue is for user "vmail" this is used by mail 
services only - and I've only got a few users on my system.

I'm also fighting a netfilter issue - my connection tracking counters 
keep climbing.  Don't know if this is in any way related.

-- 
Daniel