Thread

Evaluating E-mail Reliability

· Troubleshooting · 4 posts · Jul 1, 2004 View original thread ↗

#1 Thu, 1 Jul 2004 - 07:53

Some customers are reporting that their e-mails to us do not go through except after several tries. I'm trying to follow up and troubleshoot, but the company that operates our mail server insists that there haven't been any problems.

How then do I evaluate the problem? Is there some way to independently verify the reliability of a particular e-mail server? How can I tell if they are "lying," even though that is probably not the case?

#2 Thu, 1 Jul 2004 - 09:47

Quote:

Originally posted by selowitch:
How then do I evaluate the problem? Is there some way to independently verify the reliability of a particular e-mail server? How can I tell if they are "lying," even though that is probably not the case?

If you don't receive anything in hours, your sever is toast.

-t

#3 Thu, 1 Jul 2004 - 09:57

Quote:

Originally posted by selowitch:
Some customers are reporting that their e-mails to us do not go through except after several tries. I'm trying to follow up and troubleshoot, but the company that operates our mail server insists that there haven't been any problems.

How then do I evaluate the problem? Is there some way to independently verify the reliability of a particular e-mail server? How can I tell if they are "lying," even though that is probably not the case?

1) Do the customers share anything in common? ISP, locale, etc? Figure it out. Ask them about what mail server they use (Exchange on site/Outsourced/etc.). Is there a time of day that is better or worse? Narrow your definition of the problem.

2) Are you really in Maine?

3) Go to Network-tools.com or something and perform a variety of traces, pings, and lookups to assess the reliability of getting to your mail server.

4) When the emails finally go through, is it the ORIGINAL email? If the antivirus or anti-spam scanners are blocking something, any changes they make may be enabling delivery.

Use an online/offsite email account and send your work address about 20 emails each day for a couple of days. If they all get through, it is likely that there are customer-specific factors involved.

#4 Thu, 1 Jul 2004 - 17:16

Quote:

Originally posted by wolfen:
2) Are you really in Maine?

Yep, the Pine Tree State. Why not? I was born here but educated "away" and have returned with my wife (also a Maine native), whom I met in New York City, and our six-year-old son. We live in Farmington, the county seat of Franklin County, the second-smallest county in a very rural state.

Thanks for your helpful reply! That's the kind of solid advice I was hoping to receive.