Method and system for processing email during an unplanned outage
First Claim
1. A method for providing backup electronic messaging services during unplanned outages, comprising the steps of:
- redirecting email messages from a primary server to a secondary server when said primary server is unavailable;
notifying intended recipients of said email messages that the redirection of said email messages has been implemented;
providing said intended recipients with access to said email messages on a secondary server while said primary server is unavailable;
notifying said intended recipients when said primary server is again available; and
incorporating said email messages received while said primary server was unavailable into said intended recipient'"'"'s primary email file so as to create a continuous email history.
14 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The method and system of the present invention provides an improved technique for processing email during an unplanned outage. Email messages are redirected from the primary server to a secondary server during an unplanned outage such as, for example, a natural disaster. A notification message is sent to users alerting them that their email messages are available on the secondary server by, for example, Internet access. After the termination of the unplanned outage, email messages received during the unplanned outage are synchronized into the users standard email application.
-
Citations
58 Claims
-
1. A method for providing backup electronic messaging services during unplanned outages, comprising the steps of:
-
redirecting email messages from a primary server to a secondary server when said primary server is unavailable;
notifying intended recipients of said email messages that the redirection of said email messages has been implemented;
providing said intended recipients with access to said email messages on a secondary server while said primary server is unavailable;
notifying said intended recipients when said primary server is again available; and
incorporating said email messages received while said primary server was unavailable into said intended recipient'"'"'s primary email file so as to create a continuous email history.
-
-
2. A method for providing backup electronic messaging services during unplanned outages, comprising the steps of:
-
retrieving an organization'"'"'s email directory prior to an unplanned outage;
managing said email directory across multiple platforms;
restoring emails to said organization'"'"'s production email system;
managing said restoration across multiple platforms;
notifying said organization'"'"'s employees of the occurrence of said unplanned outage; and
populating an alternative back-up messaging system.
-
-
3. A method for providing backup electronic messaging services during unplanned outages, comprising the steps of:
-
managing an organization'"'"'s email directory across multiple platforms prior to an unplanned outage;
upon the occurrence of said unplanned outage, restoring emails to said organization'"'"'s production email system wherein said restoration occurs across multiple platforms;
notifying said organization'"'"'s employees of the occurrence of said unplanned outage; and
populating an alternative back-up messaging system.
-
-
4. A method for processing email during an unplanned outage comprising the steps of:
-
managing users'"'"' email activity through a software application residing on a primary server;
determining the email addresses that reside on said primary server;
creating on a secondary server email addresses redundant to said email addresses that reside on said primary server;
determining if said email addresses that reside on said primary server are detectable to inbound email messages;
redirecting said inbound email messages addressed to said email addresses that reside on said primary server from said primary server to said email addresses that reside on said secondary server at such time as said email addresses that reside on said primary server are not detectable to said inbound email messages, thereby providing continuous access for said users'"'"' to said inbound email messages and a means for generating outbound email messages from said users'"'"' existing email address;
notifying said users'"'"' that said email messages are available on said secondary server;
assessing the time at which said email addresses that reside on said primary server are again detectable to said inbound email messages;
redirecting said inbound email messages sent to said email addresses that reside on said secondary server from said secondary server to said email addresses that reside on said primary server after said time at which said email addresses that reside on said primary server are again detectable to inbound email messages;
notifying said users'"'"' that said inbound email messages are again available on said primary server; and
synchronizing said inbound email messages received on said secondary server from said time as said email addresses that reside on said primary server are not detectable to said inbound email messages until the time said email addresses that reside on said primary server are again detectable to inbound email messages with the existing messages in said software application, thereby completing the email message history within said software application. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A system for processing email during an unplanned outage comprising:
-
means for managing users'"'"' email activity through a software application residing on a primary server;
means for determining the email addresses that reside on said primary server;
means for creating on a secondary server email addresses redundant to said email addresses that reside on said primary server;
means for detecting if said email addresses that reside on said primary server are detectable to inbound email messages;
means for redirecting said inbound email messages addressed to said email addresses that reside on said primary server from said primary server to said email addresses that reside on said secondary server at such time as said email addresses that reside on said primary server are not detectable to said inbound email messages, thereby providing continuous access for said users'"'"' to said inbound email messages and a means for generating outbound email messages from said users'"'"' existing email address;
means for notifying said users'"'"' that said email messages are available on said secondary server;
means for assessing the time at which said email addresses that reside on said primary server are again detectable to said inbound email messages;
means for redirecting said inbound email messages sent to said email addresses that reside on said secondary server from said secondary server to said email addresses that reside on said primary server after said time at which said email addresses that reside on said primary server are again detectable to inbound email messages;
means for notifying said users'"'"' that said inbound email messages are again available on said primary server; and
means for synchronizing said inbound email messages received on said secondary server from said time as said email addresses that reside on said primary server are not detectable to said inbound email messages until the time said email addresses that reside on said primary server are again detectable to inbound email messages with the existing messages in said software application, thereby completing the email message history within said software application. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
-
-
30. A method for processing email during an unplanned outage comprising the steps of:
-
using a software means for managing users'"'"' email;
redirecting inbound email messages from a primary server to a secondary server when said primary server is unavailable;
notifying said users that said step of redirecting inbound email messages has been implemented;
providing said users with access to said email addresses on said secondary server while said primary server is unavailable;
notifying users when said primary server is again available; and
incorporating said email messages received while said primary server was unavailable into said software means for managing users'"'"' email so as to create a complete email history. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
-
-
42. A system for processing email during an unplanned outage comprising:
-
software means for managing users'"'"' email;
means for redirecting inbound email messages from a primary server to a secondary server when said primary server is unavailable;
means for notifying users that said means of redirecting inbound email messages has been implemented;
means for providing said users with access to said email addresses on said secondary server while said primary server is unavailable;
means for notifying users when said primary server is again available;
means for incorporating said email messages received while said primary server was unavailable into said software means for managing users'"'"' email so as to create a complete email history. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
-
-
54. A method for replicating email addresses on a secondary server comprising the steps of:
-
monitoring the email addresses that reside on a primary server and using a means independent from the email application generally used to process email messages to create a registry of said email addresses;
sending a query on a periodic basis to determine which of said email addresses reside on said primary server at any point in time, said query capable of determining if a specific email address exists on said primary server, said specific email address does not exist on said primary server, or said specific email address is in the process of being added to said primary server;
based on the results of said query, updating said registry of said email addresses;
replicating said email addresses on a secondary server upon a change in said registry of said email addresses. - View Dependent Claims (55)
-
-
56. A system for replicating email addresses on a secondary server comprising:
-
means for monitoring the addresses that reside on a primary server and using a means independent from the email application generally used to process email messages to create a registry of said email addresses;
means for sending a query on a periodic basis to determine which of said email addresses reside on said primary server at any point in time, said query being capable of determining if a specific email address exists on said primary server, said specific email address does not exist on said primary server, or said specific email address is in the process of being added to said primary server;
means for updating said registry of said email addresses based on the results of said query;
means for replicating said addresses on a secondary server upon change to said registry of said email addresses. - View Dependent Claims (57)
-
-
58. A method for synchronizing messages received during an unplanned outage comprising the steps of:
-
identifying all email messages received on a secondary server during an unplanned outage;
determining which of said email messages have not been previously received at the user'"'"'s primary email address;
forwarding copies of said email messages from said secondary server to said user'"'"'s primary email address such that said email messages can be incorporated into said user'"'"'s primary email application.
-
Specification