Large distribution message handling

• US 8,204,943 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2007
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Niebuhr, Rene
• Primary Examiner(s): Backer, Firmin
• Assistant Examiner(s): EDWARDS, JAMES A
• Application Number:
  US11/775,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20090019116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,807 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for large distribution message handling. Data characterizing an intended distribution load of a message being greater than a threshold indicator may be received, a determination may be made to set a flag in response to the data; and an action may be performed in response to the flag being set. Determining a distribution load may involve determining a number of intended recipients of a distribution list, a size of a message across a number of intended recipients, and the like. Actions to be performed may include suppressing auto-replies, notifying a client, and denying distribution of a message.

Claims

1. A computer program product non-transitorily embodied in a machine-readable storage device and being operable to cause a data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by a message server from a message client, a message for transmission to a plurality of message recipients, the message including;

at least one identifier of at least one distribution list containing one or more of the plurality of message recipients to whom the message is intended to be sent,

a mass distribution flag characterizing the message as being intended to have a distribution load greater than a threshold indicator, and

contents of the message,

the distribution load being calculated as being equivalent to a size of the message multiplied by a number of recipients on the distribution list;

determining, by the message server, that the mass distribution flag of the message has been set to indicate that the message has a distribution load greater than a threshold indicator; and

initiating, by the message server in response to determining that the mass distribution flag has been set, delivery of the message to one or more message boxes associated with one or more of the plurality of message recipients of the at least one distribution list in batches, each batch comprising a pre-defined number of the message recipients and being initiated in pre-defined intervals;

receiving, at the message boxes, the message;

determining, by the message boxes, that the mass distribution flag is set; and

suppressing, by the message boxes, auto-reply messages that would have otherwise been sent in response to receiving the message.

2. The product of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining whether to set the flag at the message server.

3. The product of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining whether to set the flag at the message client.

4. The product of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

denying distribution of the message.

5. The product of claim 1, wherein the performing the action comprises:

notifying a client the flag is set.

6. The product of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing an interface to configure a definition of the distribution load, the threshold, or both.

7. A computer-implemented method for implementation by a messaging landscape including a message client and a message server, the method comprising:

receiving, by a message server from a message client, a message for transmission to a plurality of message recipients contained on at least one distribution list, the message including a mass distribution flag characterizing the message as being intended to be delivered to one or more of the plurality of message recipients on the at least one distribution list, the at least one distribution list having an associated mass distribution flag set;

determining, by the message server, that the mass distribution flag of the message has been set to indicate that the message has a distribution load greater than a threshold indicator; and

initiating, by the message server in response to determining that the mass distribution flag of the message has been set, delivery of the message to one or more message boxes associated with one or more of the plurality of message recipients of the at least one distribution list in batches, each batch comprising a pre-defined number of recipients and being initiated in pre-defined intervals;

receiving, at the message boxes, the message;

determining, by the message boxes, that the mass distribution flag is set; and

suppressing, by the message boxes, auto-reply messages that would have otherwise been sent in response to receiving the message.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

providing an interface to configure a definition of the distribution load, the threshold, or

both.

9. A method for implementation among a messaging landscape including a client, a server, and receiver message boxes, the method comprising:

generating, at the client, a message for distribution to a distribution list;

checking, by the client, whether a mass distribution flag should be set for the message, the checking comprising;

sending, by the client to the server, the message,

storing, by the server, the message,

expanding, by the server, the distribution list to determine all members of the distribution list,

determining, at the server, that the mass distribution flag should be set for the message, the mass distribution flag characterizing that the message has an intended distribution load greater than a threshold indicator, and

returning, by the server to the client, a notification message requesting confirmation to send the message;

receiving user-generated input confirming transmission of the message in response to receiving the notification message;

setting, by the server, the mass distribution flag for the message;

sending, by the server, the message to message boxes of the members of the distribution list;

receiving, at the message boxes, the message;

determining, by the message boxes, that the mass distribution flag is set; and

suppressing, by the message boxes, auto-reply messages that would have otherwise been sent in response to receiving the message.