---
name: "pmdasendmail"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "pcp"
version: "7.2.2-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pmdasendmail"
---

# pmdasendmail(1)

sendmail performance metrics domain agent (PMDA)

## NAME

**pmdasendmail** - sendmail performance metrics domain agent (PMDA)

## SYNOPSIS

**$PCP\_PMDAS\_DIR/sendmail/pmdasendmail** \[**-D** *debug*\] \[**-d** *domain*\] \[**-l** *logfile*\] \[**-U** *username*\]

## DESCRIPTION

**pmdasendmail** is a sendmail Performance Metrics Domain Agent (PMDA) which exports mail traffic statistics as collected by [**sendmail**(1)](/sendmail/1.md).

Before the sendmail PMDA can export any metrics, [**sendmail**(1)](/sendmail/1.md) must have statistics collection enabled.  This involves checking the name of the statistics file, as given by the **OS** or **O StatusFile** control lines in **/etc/sendmail.cf**, and then creating this file if it does not already exist. Removing the file will terminate statistics collection by [**sendmail**(1)](/sendmail/1.md) and hence the sendmail PMDA.

A brief description of the **pmdasendmail** command line options follows:

- **-d**

  It is absolutely crucial that the performance metrics *domain* number specified here is unique and consistent. That is, *domain* should be different for every PMDA on the one host, and the same *domain* number should be used for the same PMDA on all hosts.

- **-l**

  Location of the log file.  By default, a log file named *sendmail.log* is written in the current directory of [**pmcd**(1)](/pmcd/1.md) when **pmdasendmail** is started, i.e. **$PCP\_LOG\_DIR/pmcd**. If the log file cannot be created or is not writable, output is written to the standard error instead.

- **-U**

  User account under which to run the agent. The default is the unprivileged "pcp" account in current versions of PCP, but in older versions the superuser account ("root") was used by default.

There are no communication options, as the *Install* script ensures the sendmail PMDA will be connected to PMCD by a pipe.

## INSTALLATION

If you want access to the names, help text and values for the sendmail performance metrics, do the following as root:

```
# cd $PCP_PMDAS_DIR/sendmail
# ./Install
```

If you want to undo the installation, do the following as root:

```
# cd $PCP_PMDAS_DIR/sendmail
# ./Remove
```

**pmdasendmail** is launched by [**pmcd**(1)](/pmcd/1.md) and should never be executed directly. The Install and Remove scripts notify [**pmcd**(1)](/pmcd/1.md) when the agent is installed or removed.

## FILES

- **$PCP\_PMCDCONF\_PATH**

  command line options used to launch **pmdasendmail**

- **$PCP\_PMDAS\_DIR/sendmail/help**

  default help text file for the sendmail metrics

- **$PCP\_PMDAS\_DIR/sendmail/Install**

  installation script for the **pmdasendmail** agent

- **$PCP\_PMDAS\_DIR/sendmail/Remove**

  undo installation script for the **pmdasendmail** agent

- **$PCP\_LOG\_DIR/pmcd/sendmail.log**

  default log file for error messages and other information from **pmdasendmail**

- **/etc/sendmail.cf**

  **sendmail** configuration file to identify the name of the statistics file

## PCP ENVIRONMENT

Environment variables with the prefix **PCP\_** are used to parameterize the file and directory names used by PCP. On each installation, the file **/etc/pcp.conf** contains the local values for these variables. The **$PCP\_CONF** variable may be used to specify an alternative configuration file, as described in [**pcp.conf**(5)](/pcp.conf/5.md).

## DEBUGGING OPTIONS

The **-D** or **--debug** option enables the output of additional diagnostics on *stderr* to help triage problems, although the information is sometimes cryptic and primarily intended to provide guidance for developers rather than for end-users. *debug* is a comma separated list of debugging options; use [**pmdbg**(1)](/pmdbg/1.md) with the **-l** option to obtain a list of the available debugging options and their meaning.

Debugging options specific to **pmdasendmail** are as follows:

| | |
| --- | --- |
| Option | Description |
| appl0 | verbose diagnostics, particularly from *map\_stats*() |

## SEE ALSO

[**PCPIntro**(1)](/PCPIntro/1.md), [**pmcd**(1)](/pmcd/1.md) and [**sendmail**(1)](/sendmail/1.md).