Electronic message delivery using a virtual gateway approach

• US 20040199595A1
• Filed: 01/16/2003
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ironport Systems (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ironport Systems (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schlampp, Peter, Peterson, Patrick R., Banister, Scott, Clegg, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,219,131 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking

Abstract

Message delivery approaches are disclosed in which senders can define filters with associated actions for evaluation in relation to specified messages. After creating and storing filters with specified actions, senders dispatch messages to a processing system, which evaluates the filters against the messages. If a match occurs, the processing system performs the specified actions on the messages. In one embodiment, the processing system can send the same message multiple times to different receiving systems, and can modify the source IP address and outbound interface of the message for each receiving system. Further, the source IP address or interface may be modified by a filter in response to external events, such as a receiving system blocking another copy of the message. In this way, a single message processing system can appear as a large number of virtual message sending gateways, thereby increasing the chance that a particular message will arrive at its destination without blocking by message blocking or filtering technologies at the receiver. For bulk mailers, different filters can be associated with different communication campaigns.

Claims

1. A method of sending an electronic message, comprising:

receiving and storing definitions of one or more message filters, wherein each of the message filters comprises a rule and an associated action;

receiving one or more messages destined for one or more recipients;

matching the rules of the message filters to the one or more messages;

when a particular rule of one of the message filters matches one of the messages, performing a particular associated action on the one of the messages prior to enqueuing the one of the messages for delivery to the one or more recipients.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the associated action specifies delivering from an alternate source, and wherein performing the associated action comprises setting, in the message, a source hostname from which the message is delivered.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the associated action specifies delivering from an alternate source, and wherein performing the associated action comprises setting, in the message, a source IP address from which the message is delivered.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the associated action specifies delivering from an alternate source, and wherein performing the associated action comprises setting, in the message, an interface from which the message is delivered.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the associated action specifies delivering from an alternate source and identifies an interface name, and wherein performing the associated action comprises setting, in the message, a source hostname from which the message is delivered, and delivering the message on an interface associated with the interface name.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the associated action specifies delivering from an alternate source and identifies an interface name, and wherein performing the associated action comprises the steps of:

determining a hostname that is associated with the specified interface;

setting, in the message, a source hostname from which the message is delivered;

creating a delivery queue that is uniquely associated with a destination domain of the message, the interface name and hostname;

enqueuing the message in the delivery queue.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the associated action specifies delivering from an alternate source and identifies an interface name and a hostname, and wherein performing the associated action comprises setting, in the message, a “

received by”

message header as equal to the hostname.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the associated action specifies delivering to an alternate e-mail address and identifies a delivery address, and wherein performing the associated action comprises setting, in the message, a RCPT TO element as equal to the alternate e-mail address.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the associated action further specifies a copy count value, and wherein performing the associated action comprises sending, to the alternate e-mail address, a number of copies of the message equal to a number of original recipients of the message.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the associated action specifies delivering to an alternate host and identifies a hostname, and wherein performing the associated action comprises setting, in the message, a destination mail host address for all recipients of the message as equal to the hostname.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the associated action specifies notification, and identifies a notification address, and wherein performing the associated action comprises the steps of:

creating an electronic notification comprising information identifying the particular one of the message filters, address information from the message, and header information from the message that matched the particular one of the message filters; and

sending the electronic notification to the notification address.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the message filters conforms to a grammar that may be described in Backus-Naur Form substantially equivalent to:

13. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the filters is associated with a different communication campaign of a sender of the one or more messages.

14. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the steps of receiving, storing, matching and performing are performed by a message processing system that receives bulk messages from senders, processes the messages according to the filters and dispatches one or more of the messages to receivers or recipients.

15. A method as recited in claim 1,

wherein each of the filters is associated with a different communication campaign of a sender of the one or more messages;

wherein each filter for a particular communication campaign specifies a different source hostname; and

wherein the steps of receiving, storing, matching and performing are performed by a message processing system that acts as a virtual gateway for the sender by receiving bulk messages from the sender, processing the messages according to the filters and dispatching the messages to receivers or recipients using a plurality of different source hostnames as specified by the sender in the message filters.

16. A method of sending an electronic mail message, comprising:

receiving and storing definitions of one or more message filters, wherein each of the message filters comprises a rule and an associated action that specifies delivering from an alternate source and identifies an interface name and a hostname;

receiving, from a sender, one or more electronic mail messages destined for one or more recipients;

matching the message filters to the one or more electronic mail messages;

when a rule of one of the message filters matches one of the messages, performing the associated action on the one of the messages prior to enqueuing the one of the messages for delivery to the one or more recipients, by setting, in the message, a source hostname from which the message is delivered;

creating a delivery queue that is uniquely associated with a destination domain of the message, the interface name and hostname; and

enqueuing the message in the delivery queue.

17. A method of sending an electronic message using a message processing system having one or more network interfaces, wherein each of the network interfaces is assignable any of a plurality of network addresses, comprising:

receiving and storing one or more mappings of message attributes to outbound interfaces;

receiving a message destined for a recipient;

when a first mapping among the one or more mappings specifies a first message attribute that matches the message

selecting, from the first mapping, an associated first outbound interface;

sending the message on the selected first outbound interface.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the step of receiving and storing one or more mappings comprises the steps of:

receiving a command-line interface command that specifies a message attribute and an outbound interface;

creating and storing, in a set of mappings of attributes to outbound interfaces, a mapping entry based on the command.

19. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for delivering electronic messages, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of

receiving and storing definitions of one or more message filters, wherein each of the message filters comprises a rule and an associated action;

receiving one or more messages destined for one or more recipients;

matching the rules of the message filters to the one or more messages;

when a particular rule of one of the message filters matches one of the messages, performing a particular associated action on the one of the messages prior to enqueuing the one of the messages for delivery to the one or more recipients.

20. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 19, wherein the associated action specifies delivering from an alternate source, and wherein performing the associated action comprises setting, in the message, a source hostname from which the message is delivered.

21. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 19, wherein the associated action specifies delivering from an alternate source, and wherein performing the associated action comprises setting, in the message, a source IP address from which the message is delivered.

22. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 19, wherein the associated action specifies delivering from an alternate source, and wherein performing the associated action comprises setting, in the message, an interface from which the message is delivered.

23. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 19, wherein the associated action specifies delivering from an alternate source and identifies an interface name, and wherein performing the associated action comprises setting, in the message, a source hostname from which the message is delivered, and delivering the message on an interface associated with the interface name.

24. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 19, wherein the associated action specifies delivering from an alternate source and identifies an interface name, and wherein performing the associated action comprises the steps of:

determining a hostname associated with the specified interface;

setting, in the message, a source hostname from which the message is delivered;

creating a delivery queue that is uniquely associated with a destination domain of the message, the interface name and hostname;

enqueuing the message in the delivery queue.

25. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 19, wherein the associated action specifies delivering from an alternate source and identifies an interface name and a hostname, and wherein performing the associated action comprises setting, in the message, a “

received by”

message header as equal to the hostname.

26. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 19, wherein the associated action specifies delivering to an alternate e-mail address and identifies a delivery address, and wherein performing the associated action comprises setting, in the message, a RCPT TO element as equal to the alternate e-mail address.

27. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 26, wherein the associated action further specifies a copy count value, and wherein performing the associated action comprises sending, to the alternate e-mail address, a number of copies of the message equal to a number of original recipients of the message.

28. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 19, wherein the associated action specifies delivering to an alternate host and identifies a hostname, and wherein performing the associated action comprises setting, in the message, a destination mail host address for all recipients of the message as equal to the hostname.

29. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 19, wherein the associated action specifies notification, and identifies a notification address, and wherein performing the associated action comprises the steps of:

creating an electronic notification comprising information identifying the particular one of the message filters, address information from the message, and header information from the message that matched the particular one of the message filters; and

sending the electronic notification to the notification address.

30. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 19, wherein each of the message filters conforms to a grammar that may be described in Backus-Naur Form substantially equivalent to:

31. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 19, wherein each of the filters is associated with a different communication campaign of a sender of the one or more messages.

32. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 19, wherein the steps of receiving, storing, matching and performing are performed by a message processing system that receives bulk messages from senders, processes the messages according to the filters and dispatches one or more of the messages to receivers or recipients.

33. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 19,

wherein each of the filters is associated with a different communication campaign of a sender of the one or more messages;

wherein each filter for a particular communication campaign specifies a different source hostname; and

wherein the steps of receiving, storing, matching and performing are performed by a message processing system that acts as a virtual gateway for the sender by receiving bulk messages from the sender, processing the messages according to the filters and dispatching the messages to receivers or recipients using a plurality of different source hostnames as specified by the sender in the message filters.

34. An apparatus for delivering electronic messages, comprising:

means for receiving and storing definitions of one or more message filters, wherein each of the message filters comprises a rule and an associated action;

means for receiving one or more messages destined for one or more recipients;

means for matching the rules of the message filters to the one or more messages;

means for performing, when a particular rule of one of the message filters matches one of the messages, a particular associated action on the one of the messages prior to enqueuing the one of the messages for delivery to the one or more recipients.

35. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein the associated action specifies delivering from an alternate source, and wherein the means for performing the associated action comprises means for setting, in the message, a source hostname from which the message is delivered.

36. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein the associated action specifies delivering from an alternate source, and wherein the means for performing the associated action comprises means for setting, in the message, a source IP address from which the message is delivered.

37. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein the associated action specifies delivering from an alternate source, and wherein the means for performing the associated action comprises means for setting, in the message, an interface from which the message is delivered.

38. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein the associated action specifies delivering from an alternate source and identifies an interface name, and wherein the means for performing the associated action comprises means for setting, in the message, a source hostname from which the message is delivered, and means for delivering the message on an interface associated with the interface name.

39. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein the associated action specifies delivering from an alternate source and identifies an interface name, and wherein the means for performing the associated action comprises:

means for determining a hostname associated with the specified interface;

means for setting, in the message, a source hostname from which the message is delivered;

means for creating a delivery queue that is uniquely associated with a destination domain of the message, the interface name and hostname;

means for enqueuing the message in the delivery queue.

40. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein the associated action specifies delivering from an alternate source and identifies an interface name and a hostname, and wherein the means for performing the associated action comprises means for setting, in the message, a “

received by”

message header as equal to the hostname.

41. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein the associated action specifies delivering to an alternate e-mail address and identifies a delivery address, and wherein the means for performing the associated action comprises means for setting, in the message, a RCPT TO element as equal to the alternate e-mail address.

42. An apparatus as recited in claim 41, wherein the associated action further specifies a copy count value, and wherein the means for performing the associated action comprises means for sending, to the alternate e-mail address, a number of copies of the message equal to a number of original recipients of the message.

43. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein the associated action specifies delivering to an alternate host and identifies a hostname, and wherein the means for performing the associated action comprises means for setting, in the message, a destination mail host address for all recipients of the message as equal to the hostname.

44. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein the associated action specifies notification, and identifies a notification address, and wherein the means for performing the associated action comprises:

means for creating an electronic notification comprising information identifying the particular one of the message filters, address information from the message, and header information from the message that matched the particular one of the message filters; and

means for sending the electronic notification to the notification address.

45. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein each of the message filters conforms to a grammar that may be described in Backus-Naur Form substantially equivalent to:

46. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein each of the filters is associated with a different communication campaign of a sender of the one or more messages.

47. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein the means for receiving, storing, matching and performing are in a message processing system that receives bulk messages from senders, processes the messages according to the filters and dispatches one or more of the messages to receivers or recipients.

48. An apparatus as recited in claim 34,

wherein each of the filters is associated with a different communication campaign of a sender of the one or more messages;

wherein each filter for a particular communication campaign specifies a different source hostname; and

wherein the means for receiving, storing, matching and performing are in a message processing system that acts as a virtual gateway for the sender by receiving bulk messages from the sender, processing the messages according to the filters and dispatching the messages to receivers or recipients using a plurality of different source hostnames as specified by the sender in the message filters.

49. An apparatus for delivering electronic messages, comprising:

a network interface that is coupled to the data network for receiving one or more packet flows therefrom;

a processor;

one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of;

receiving and storing definitions of one or more message filters, wherein each of the message filters comprises a rule and an associated action;

receiving one or more messages destined for one or more recipients;

matching the rules of the message filters to the one or more messages;

when a particular rule of one of the message filters matches one of the messages, performing a particular associated action on the one of the messages prior to enqueuing the one of the messages for delivery to the one or more recipients.

50. An apparatus as recited in claim 49, wherein the associated action specifies delivering from an alternate source, and wherein performing the associated action comprises setting, in the message, a source hostname from which the message is delivered.

51. An apparatus as recited in claim 49, wherein the associated action specifies delivering from an alternate source, and wherein performing the associated action comprises setting, in the message, a source IP address from which the message is delivered.

52. An apparatus as recited in claim 49, wherein the associated action specifies delivering from an alternate source, and wherein performing the associated action comprises setting, in the message, an interface from which the message is delivered.

53. An apparatus as recited in claim 49, wherein the associated action specifies delivering from an alternate source and identifies an interface name, and wherein performing the associated action comprises setting, in the message, a source hostname from which the message is delivered, and delivering the message on an interface associated with the interface name.

54. An apparatus as recited in claim 49, wherein the associated action specifies delivering from an alternate source and identifies an interface name, and wherein performing the associated action comprises the steps of:

determining a hostname associated with the specified interface;

setting, in the message, a source hostname from which the message is delivered;

creating a delivery queue that is uniquely associated with a destination domain of the message, the interface name and hostname;

enqueuing the message in the delivery queue.

55. An apparatus as recited in claim 49, wherein the associated action specifies delivering from an alternate source and identifies an interface name and a hostname, and wherein performing the associated action comprises setting, in the message, a “

received by”

message header as equal to the hostname.

56. An apparatus as recited in claim 49, wherein the associated action specifies delivering to an alternate e-mail address and identifies a delivery address, and wherein performing the associated action comprises setting, in the message, a RCPT TO element as equal to the alternate e-mail address.

57. An apparatus as recited in claim 56, wherein the associated action further specifies a copy count value, and wherein performing the associated action comprises sending, to the alternate e-mail address, a number of copies of the message equal to a number of original recipients of the message.

58. An apparatus as recited in claim 49, wherein the associated action specifies delivering to an alternate host and identifies a hostname, and wherein performing the associated action comprises setting, in the message, a destination mail host address for all recipients of the message as equal to the hostname.

59. An apparatus as recited in claim 49, wherein the associated action specifies notification, and identifies a notification address, and wherein performing the associated action comprises the steps of:

creating an electronic notification comprising information identifying the particular one of the message filters, address information from the message, and header information from the message that matched the particular one of the message filters; and

sending the electronic notification to the notification address.

60. An apparatus as recited in claim 49, wherein each of the message filters conforms to a grammar that may be described in Backus-Naur Form substantially equivalent to:

61. An apparatus as recited in claim 49, wherein each of the filters is associated with a different communication campaign of a sender of the one or more messages.

62. An apparatus as recited in claim 49, wherein the steps of receiving, storing, matching and performing are performed by a message processing system that receives bulk messages from senders, processes the messages according to the filters and dispatches one or more of the messages to receivers or recipients.

63. An apparatus as recited in claim 49,

wherein each of the filters is associated with a different communication campaign of a sender of the one or more messages;

wherein each filter for a particular communication campaign specifies a different source hostname; and

wherein the steps of receiving, storing, matching and performing are performed by a message processing system that acts as a virtual gateway for the sender by receiving bulk messages from the sender, processing the messages according to the filters and dispatching the messages to receivers or recipients using a plurality of different source hostnames as specified by the sender in the message filters.