Email service error recovery

• US 20040215724A1
• Filed: 04/28/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hoffman, William R., Smoot, Phil
• Application Number:
  US10/424,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20040215724A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

The header and message of an email are respectively stored in header and message hosts. The stored header includes a recipient identifier, a globally message identifier, an incomplete status, and a timestamp. When the message is stored at each message host, the stored header is changed to a complete status and the timestamp is updated. If the message can'"'"'t be stored at message host, a diagnostic can be output and the stored header is deleted from the header hosts. When the message is stored in at least one of message hosts, the status indicator in the stored header is changed to reflect a complete status. When the message is stored in only some of the message hosts, a partially complete status is set for each message host at which the failures occurred. The message can be replicated in each message host having a corresponding partially complete status indicator.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing a header of an email in an attached storage device of a header host computing device, wherein;

the email includes a message; and

the header includes an email recipient identifier, a globally unique identifier of the message, a status indicator reflecting an incomplete status, and a timestamp of the time at which the header is stored;

storing the message of the email in a separate file in an attached storage device of a message host computing device; and

when the storing the message of the email is performed without a failure, then changing the stored header in the attached storage device of the header host computing device such that;

the status indicator reflects a complete status, and

the timestamp reflects the time at which the message is stored.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising deleting the stored header from the attached storage device of the header host computing device when it include the status indicator reflecting an incomplete status.

3. A method comprising:

storing a header of an email in each of a plurality of header host computing devices, wherein;

the email includes a message; and

the header includes an email recipient identifier, a globally unique identifier of the message, a status indicator reflecting an incomplete status, and a timestamp of the time at which the header is stored;

storing the message of the email in a separate file in each of a plurality of message host computing devices;

when the storing the message of the email is performed without a failure for at least one of the message host computing devices, then changing each said stored header such that the status indicator reflects a complete status;

when the storing the message of the email is performed with a failure for less than all of the message host computing devices, then setting a partially complete status indicator for the message host computing devices at which the failures occurred; and

when the storing the message of the email is performed with a failure for each of the message host computing devices, then outputting a diagnostic.

4. The method as defined in claim 3, further comprising:

storing the message of the email in a separate file in each of the message host computing devices for which there is a corresponding partially complete status indicator and then changing the corresponding said partially complete status indicator to reflect a complete status when there are no corresponding partially complete status indicator; and

for each said stored header that includes the status indicator reflecting an incomplete status, deleting each said stored header from the host computing device.

5. A method comprising:

storing a header of an email in an attached storage device, respectively, for each of a plurality of header host computing devices;

upon a failure of the storing the header in the attached storage device for one said header host computing device;

storing the header in the attached storage device for another said header host computing device;

reassigning the another said header host computing device to be the one said header host computing device; and

reassigning the one said header host computing device to be the another said header host computing device;

storing a message of the email in a separate file in an attached storage device, respectively, for each of a plurality of message host computing devices.

6. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein upon a failure of the storing the message in the attached storage device for one said message host computing device:

storing an identifier corresponding to the message and the attached storage device for the one said message host computing device at which the failure occurred; and

storing a respective said message corresponding to each said stored identifier in a separate file in the attached storage device for the corresponding said message host computing device.

7. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein the header includes data selected from the group consisting of a transaction state, a sender of the email, a subject of the email, a date the email was received, a size of the message, email recipient preference, email folder hierarchy data, a rule for filtering each said message of each said email, an identification of a recipient of the email, a globally unique identifier of the message, and a timestamp of when the email header record was last modified.

8. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein the header and the message are redundantly stored are different server farms.

9. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein the storing a header further comprises replicating the header from the attached storage device from one said header host computing device to the attached storage device of another said header host computing device, whereby the header is stored in the attached storage device, respectively, for the plurality of header host computing devices.

10. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein the message and the header both include a unique identifier for a recipient of the email.

11. The method as defined in claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a request to retrieve the email;

accessing one said attached storage device corresponding to one said header host computing device, using the request, to retrieve the header corresponding to the email; and

accessing one said separate file in one said attached storage device corresponding to one said message host computing device, using the retrieved header, to retrieve the message from the separate file.

12. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein:

each said header host computing device is different from;

other said header host computing devices; and

each said message host computing device;

redundant network interfaces are provided for;

each said header host computing device; and

each said message host computing device.

13. The method as defined in claim 6, further comprising:

receiving the email at one of a plurality of protocol host computing devices, wherein the email includes a unique identifier for one of a plurality of email recipients;

retrieving, at the one said protocol host computing device, an address for each of the header and message host computing devices, wherein the one said protocol host computing device uses each said address to perform;

the storing of the header of the email in the attached storage device, respectively, for each of the plurality of header host computing devices at an address corresponding to the one said email recipient; and

the storing of the message of the email in the separate file in the attached storage device, respectively, for each of the plurality of message host computing devices at an address corresponding to the one said email recipient.

14. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the one said protocol host computing device inserts, retrieves, modifies and deletes email data for each of:

the plurality of header host computing devices at the address corresponding to the one said email recipient; and

the plurality of message host computing devices at the address corresponding to the one said email recipient.

15. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein each said protocol host computing device using a messaging protocol by which consistency in email header data is maintained between the plurality of header host computing devices.

16. A computer readable medium comprising computer instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, performs the method of claim 5.

17. A method comprising:

storing a header of an email in a primary database;

replicating the header from the primary database into a secondary database; and

replicating a message of the email into each of a plurality of file shares, wherein;

there is a logical and physical difference in respective addresses between each of the primary database, the secondary database, and each said file share;

the method further comprises, upon the failure of the storing the header in the primary database;

storing the header in the secondary database; and

reassigning;

the secondary database as the primary database; and

the primary database as the secondary database.

18. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising, upon the failure of the replicating of the message on any said file share:

storing an identifier corresponding to the message and the file share at which the failure occurred; and

replicating the respective message of each of one or more said stored identifiers in the corresponding file share.

19. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the header includes an email header record from which a folder view of the email can be rendered that has fields selected from the group consisting of sender of the email, subject of the email, date the email was received, size of the message, email recipient preferences, email folder hierarchy data, and rule for filtering each said message of each said email.

20. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein:

each said primary database, said secondary database, and said file share respectively comprise a host computing device in communication with an attached storage device;

the header is stored in the attached storage device respectively corresponding to the primary and secondary databases; and

the message is stored in a separate file in the attached storage device respectively corresponding to each said file share.

21. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein:

the primary database and the secondary database each are in communication with an attached storage device in which the header of the email is stored; and

each said file share is in communication with an attached storage device in which the message of the email is stored in its own separate file.

22. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the message on each said file share:

is an RFC 2822 email message; and

is stored in its own separate file.

23. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a request to retrieve the email;

accessing the primary database, using the request, to retrieve the header corresponding to the email; and

accessing one or more said file shares, using the retrieved header, to retrieve the message corresponding to the email.

24. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein when the replicating the header from the primary database into a secondary database is comprises log shipping.

25. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising receiving the email having the header and the message.

26. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising:

storing a request to delete the email in a table;

accessing the primary and secondary databases, using the request, to delete there from the header corresponding to the email;

accessing each said file share, using the request in the table, to delete the message corresponding to the email; and

removing the request in the table.

27. The method as defined in claim 26, further comprising receiving the request to delete the email.

28. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising:

receiving the email at one of a plurality of protocol servers, wherein the email includes a unique identifier for one of a plurality of users;

retrieving, at the one said protocol server, an address for each of the primary database, the secondary database, and each said file share, wherein the one said protocol server uses each said address to perform;

the storing of the header into an attached storage device in communication with the primary database at an address corresponding to the one said user;

the replicating the header from the attached storage device in communication with the primary database into an attached storage device in communication with the secondary database at an address corresponding to the one said user; and

the replicating of the message from an attached storage device in communication with the file share into an attached storage device in communication with each of the plurality of said file shares at an address corresponding to the one said user.

29. The method as defined in claim 28, wherein each said protocol server:

performs the storing of the header, the replicating the header, and the replicating of the message;

uses a messaging protocol by which consistency in email header data is maintained between the primary database and the secondary database; and

inserts, retrieves, modifies and deletes email data for each of the primary database, the secondary database, and the plurality of file shares.

30. The method as defined in claim 28, wherein each said protocol host computing device using a messaging protocol by which consistency in email header data is maintained between the plurality of header host computing devices.

31. The method as defined in claim 28, wherein each said protocol server is a database host having local, but not attached, storage.

32. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising:

receiving the email at one of a plurality of front doors, wherein each said front door stores information about a plurality of users;

determining with the one said front door, from a unique identifier for one said user included with the email, whether the one said user exists; and

when the determining finds that the one said user exists;

sending the email from the one said front door to one of a plurality of load balancers;

performing a load balancing analysis at the one said load balancer to determine one of a plurality of protocol servers to receive the email;

receiving the email at the one said protocol server;

retrieving, at the one said protocol server, an address for each of the primary database, the secondary database, and each said file share, wherein the one said protocol server uses each said address to perform;

the storing of the header into the primary database at an address corresponding to the one said user;

the replicating the header from the primary database into the secondary database at an address corresponding to the one said user; and

the replicating of the message into each of the plurality of file shares at an address corresponding to the one said user.

33. A computer readable medium comprising computer instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, performs the method of claim 17.

34. A method comprising:

accessing a primary database, using a request to retrieve an email, to retrieve a header corresponding to the email, wherein the header is replicated from the primary database to a secondary database; and

upon a failure of the access to the primary database;

accessing the secondary database, using the request to retrieve the email, to retrieve the header corresponding to the email;

reassigning the secondary database to be the primary database; and

reassigning the primary database to be the secondary database;

accessing a first of a plurality of file shares, using the retrieved header, to retrieve a message corresponding to the email, wherein there is a logical and physical difference in respective addresses between the primary and secondary databases and each said file share.

35. The method as defined in claim 34, further comprising, upon a failure of the access to the first said file share:

using the retrieved header to retrieve the message corresponding to the email; and

accessing the other said file shares using the retrieved header to retrieve the message corresponding to the email.

36. The method as defined in claim 35, wherein upon a failure of the access to any of the file shares:

using the retrieved header to retrieve the message corresponding to the email; and

outputting a diagnostic reflecting said failure.

37. The method as defined in claim 34, wherein:

the primary database is in communication with an attached storage device in which the header of the email is stored;

the secondary database is in communication with an attached storage device in which the header of the email is stored; and

the file share is in communication with an attached storage device in which the message of the email is stored in its own separate file.

38. The method as defined in claim 34, further comprising receiving the request to retrieve the email.

39. A computer readable medium comprising computer instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, performs the method of claim 34.

40. A method comprising:

receiving, at one of a plurality of protocol servers, a request to retrieve an email, wherein the email includes a unique identifier for one of a plurality of users;

retrieving, at the one said protocol server, an address for each of a primary database and a file share, wherein the one said protocol server uses each said address to perform;

an access to the primary database, using the request to retrieve the email, to retrieve a header corresponding to the email, wherein;

the header is replicated from the primary database to a secondary database; and

upon a failure to retrieve the header corresponding to the email from the primary database, accessing the secondary database, using the request to retrieve the email, to retrieve the header corresponding to the email from the secondary database;

an access to the file share to retrieve there from a message corresponding to the email at an address corresponding to the one said user within the file share, wherein;

the message is replicated from a separate file in the file share to a separate file in each of a plurality of said file shares; and

there is a logical and physical difference in respective addresses between each of the primary database, the secondary database, and each said file share.

41. The method as defined in claim 40, further comprising:

upon a failure to retrieve the message corresponding to the email from the separate file in the file share by the access to the file share, accessing each said file share, using the retrieved header, until there is a successful retrieval of the message corresponding to the email from the respective said file share; and

there is a logical and physical difference in respective addresses between each of the primary database, the secondary database, and each said file share.

42. A computer readable medium comprising computer instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, performs the method of claim 40.

43. A method comprising:

receiving, at one of a plurality of front doors, a request to retrieve an email, wherein each said front door stores information about a plurality of users;

determining with the one said front door, from a unique identifier for one said user included with the request to retrieve the email, whether the one said user exists; and

when the determining finds that the one said user exists;

sending the request from the one said front door to one of a plurality of load balancers;

performing a load balancing analysis at the one said load balancer to determine one of a plurality of protocol servers to receive the request to retrieve the email;

receiving the request to retrieve the email at the one said protocol server;

retrieving, at the one said protocol server, an address for each of a primary database and a file share, wherein the one said protocol server uses each said address to perform;

an access to the primary database, using the request to retrieve the email, to retrieve a header corresponding to the email, wherein;

the header is replicated from an attached storage device in communication with the primary database into an attached storage device in communication with a secondary database; and

upon a failure to retrieve the header corresponding to the email from the attached storage device in communication with the primary database by the access to the primary database, accessing the secondary database, using the request to retrieve the email, to retrieve the header corresponding to the email from the attached storage device in communication with the secondary database;

an access to the file share, using the retrieved header, to retrieve a message corresponding to the email, wherein;

the message is replicated from a separate file in an attached storage device in communication with the file share into a separate file in an attached storage device respectively corresponding to each of a plurality of said file shares;

upon a failure to retrieve the message corresponding to the email from the separate file in the attached storage device in communication with the file share by the access to the file share, accessing each said file share, using the retrieved header, until there is a successful retrieval of the message corresponding to the email from the respective attached storage device in communication with the respective said file share; and

there is a logical and physical difference in respective addresses between each of the primary database, the secondary database, and each said file share.

44. The method as defined in claim 43, further comprising receiving the request to retrieve the email.

45. A computer readable medium comprising computer instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, performs the method of claim 43.

46. A protocol host computing device comprising:

fixed storage means for storing an email including an email header and an email message;

means for transmitting the email header for storage at each of a plurality of attached storage devices that are each in communication with one of a respective plurality of header host computing devices, wherein the email header includes an email recipient identifier, a globally unique identifier of the message, a status indicator reflecting an incomplete status, and a timestamp of the time at which the email header is stored; and

means for transmitting the email message for storage in a separate file in a plurality of attached storage devices that are in communication with one of a respective plurality of message host computing devices;

means for receiving a success or a failure as to the storing the message of the email;

means, when each said email message is stored without a failure, for transmitting instructions to change the stored email header in the attached storage device of each said header host computing device such that;

the status indicator reflects a complete status, and

the timestamp reflects the time at which the message is stored.

47. The protocol host computing device as defined in claim 46, further comprising:

means for deleting the email header from the attached storage device of each said header host computing device when the email header includes the status indicator reflecting an incomplete status; and

means for deleting the email message from the attached storage device of each said message host computing device that corresponds to each said email header that is deleted by the means for deleting the email header.

48. A protocol host computing device comprising:

fixed storage means for storing an email including a header and a message;

means for transmitting the header for storage at each of a plurality of header host computing devices, wherein the header includes an email recipient identifier, a globally unique identifier of the message, a status indicator reflecting an incomplete status, and a timestamp of the time at which the header is stored;

means for transmitting the message of the email for storage in a separate file in each of a plurality of message host computing devices;

means for receiving a success or a failure as to the storing the message of the email;

means, when storing the message of the email is performed without a failure for at least one of the message host computing devices, for transmitting instructions to change each said header at each said header host computing device such that the status indicator reflects a complete status;

means, when the storing the message of the email is performed with a failure for less than all of the message host computing devices, for setting a partially complete status indicator for the message host computing devices at which the failures occurred; and

means, when the storing the message of the email is performed with a failure for each of the message host computing devices, for outputting a diagnostic.

49. The protocol host computing device as defined in claim 48, further comprising:

means for;

transmitting the message of the email for storage in a separate file in each of the message host computing devices for which there is a corresponding partially complete status indicator; and

transmitting instructions to delete the corresponding said partially complete status indicator; and

means, for each said stored header that includes the status indicator reflecting an incomplete status;

for transmitting instructions to delete the corresponding said message from each said message host computing device; and

when each said delete of the corresponding said message is successful, for transmitting instructions to delete from each said header host computing device the corresponding said stored header that includes the status indicator reflecting an incomplete status.

50. The protocol host computing device as defined in claim 48, further comprising means for transmitting the header and the message for redundant storage at different server farms.

51. The protocol host computing device as defined in claim 48, wherein:

the email includes an address corresponding to one email recipient; and

the method further comprises means for transmitting instructions to insert, retrieve, modify, and delete email data at each of;

the plurality of header host computing devices at the address corresponding to the one said email recipient; and

the plurality of message host computing devices at the address corresponding to the one said email recipient.

52. The protocol host computing device as defined in claim 48, further comprising means for using a messaging protocol by which consistency in email header data is maintained between the plurality of header host computing devices.