Email service

• US 20040212639A1
• Filed: 04/28/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hoffman, William R., Smoot, Phil
• Granted Patent: US 7,673,000 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

An email having a header and a message is processed by an email service to store the header in a plurality of attached storage devices that are each in communication with one of a respective plurality of header host computing devices. The email service stores the message in a separate file in a plurality of attached storage devices that are each in communication with one of a respective plurality of message host computing devices.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing a header of an email in a plurality of attached storage devices that are each in communication with one of a respective plurality of header host computing devices; and

storing a message of the email in a separate file in a plurality of attached storage devices that are each in communication with one of a respective plurality of message host computing devices.

2. The method as-defined in claim 1, 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 receipt date of the email, a size of the email message, an email recipient preference, email folder hierarchy data, a rule for filtering of the email message, an identification of an email recipient, a globally unique identifier of the email message, and a timestamp of when the email header was last modified.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the header and the message are redundantly stored at different server farms.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, 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.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the message and the header both include a unique identifier for a recipient of the email.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, 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.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, 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.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, 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.

9. The method as defined in claim 8, 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.

10. The method as defined in claim 8, 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.

11. A computer readable medium comprising computer instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, performs the method of claim 1.

12. 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.

13. The method as defined in claim 12, 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.

14. The method as defined in claim 12, 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.

15. The method as defined in claim 12, 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.

16. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the message on each said file share:

is an RFC2822 email message; and

is stored in its own separate file.

17. The method as defined in claim 12, 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.

18. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein when the replicating the header from the primary database into a secondary database is comprises log shipping.

19. The method as defined in claim 12, further comprising receiving the email having the header and the message.

20. The method as defined in claim 12, 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.

21. The method as defined in claim 20, further comprising receiving the request to delete the email.

22. The method as defined in claim 12, 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.

23. The method as defined in claim 22, 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.

24. The method as defined in claim 22, 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.

25. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein each said protocol server is a database host having local, but not attached, storage.

26. The method as defined in claim 12, 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.

27. A computer readable medium comprising computer instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, performs the method of claim 12.

28. A method comprising:

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

accessing a file share, 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 database and the file share.

29. The method as defined in claim 28, wherein:

the primary 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.

30. The method as defined in claim 28, wherein:

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

there is a logical and physical difference in respective addresses between the primary and secondary databases.

31. The method as defined in claim 30, wherein the secondary database is in communication with an attached storage device in which the header of the email is stored.

32. The method as defined in claim 28, wherein:

the message is replicated into 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 and each said file share.

33. The method as defined in claim 32, wherein 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.

34. The method as defined in claim 28, wherein the message in the file share is stored in its own separate file.

35. The method as defined in claim 28, further comprising receiving the request to retrieve the email.

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

receiving, at one of a plurality of protocol servers, the request to retrieve the 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 the primary database and the file share, wherein the one said protocol server uses each said address to perform;

the accessing of the primary database to retrieve there from the header corresponding to the email at an address corresponding to the one said user within an attached storage device in communication with the primary database; and

the accessing of the file share to retrieve there from the message corresponding to the email at an address corresponding to the one said user within an attached storage device in communication with the file share.

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

receiving, at one of a plurality of front doors, the request to retrieve the 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 the primary database and the file share, wherein the one said protocol server uses each said address to perform;

the accessing of the primary database to retrieve the header corresponding to the email; and

the accessing the file share to retrieve the message corresponding to the email.

38. The method as defined in claim 37, 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;

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

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

39. A computer readable medium comprising computer instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, performs the method of claim 28.

40. An email system comprising:

a plurality of header host computing devices each having an attached storage device for storing an email header corresponding to a respectively plurality of emails; and

a plurality of message host computing devices each having an attached storage device for storing, in a separate file, a message that corresponds to a respective one said header that is stored in the attached storage device of one said header host computing device.

41. The email system as defined in claim 40, wherein each said header includes data selected from the group consisting of a transaction state, a sender of the email, a subject of the email, a receipt date of the email, a size of the email message, an email recipient preference, email folder hierarchy data, a rule for filtering of the email message, an identification of an email recipient, a globally unique identifier of the email message, and a timestamp of when the email header was last modified.

42. The email system as defined in claim 40, wherein the headers and the messages are redundantly stored at different server farms respectively comprising the plurality of header host computing devices and the plurality of message host computing devices.

43. The email system as defined in claim 40, wherein each said header is replicated 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 each header is stored in the attached storage device, respectively, for the plurality of header host computing devices.

44. The email system as defined in claim 40, wherein each said message and each said header include a unique identifier for a recipient of the corresponding said email.

45. The email system as defined in claim 40, wherein each said header host computing device is different from:

other said header host computing devices; and

each said message host computing device.

46. The email system as defined in claim 40, further comprising a plurality of protocol host computing devices each being in communication for inserting, retrieving, modifying, and deleting email data at each of:

the plurality of header host computing devices; and

the plurality of message host computing devices.

47. The email system as defined in claim 46, wherein each said protocol host computing device uses a messaging protocol by which equivalent email header data is maintained between the plurality of header host computing devices.

48. A response transmission, in answer to a request to retrieve an email, for communication over a packet switched network, the response transmission comprising

an email header corresponding to the email and derived from data stored in one of a plurality of attached storage devices that are each in communication with one of a respective plurality of header host computing devices and at which the email headers of respective said emails are stored;

and

an email message corresponding to the email and derived from data stored in a separate file in one of a plurality of attached storage devices that are each in communication with one of a respective plurality of message host computing devices and at which the email messages of respective said emails are stored;

wherein each of the email header and the email message are packetized for transmission over the packet switched network.

49. The email transmission as defined in claim 48, wherein the email header includes data selected from the group consisting of a sender of the email, a subject of the email, a receipt date of the email, a size of the email message, an email recipient preference, email folder hierarchy data, a rule for filtering of the email message, an identification of an email recipient, a globally unique identifier of the email message, and a timestamp of when the email header was last modified.

50. The email transmission as defined in claim 48, wherein the email header and the email message are derived from different server farms at which they are redundantly stored.

51. The email transmission as defined in claim 48, wherein the email message and the email header both include a unique identifier for an email recipient.

52. The email transmission as defined in claim 48, wherein each said header host computing device is different from:

other said header host computing devices; and

each said message host computing device.

53. An email comprising:

an email header in a hot header server and replicated in a warm header server; and

an email message in a file that is replicated on a plurality of message servers.

54. The email as defined in claim 53, wherein:

the email message is stored in neither the hot header server not the warm header server; and

the email message corresponds to the email header.

55. The email as defined in claim 53, wherein each said message server, said hot header server, and said warm header server comprises:

a computing device for hosting a database; and

an attached storage device in communication with the computing device.

56. The email as defined in claim 53, wherein the email header includes data selected from the group consisting of a sender of the email, a subject of the email, a receipt date of the email, a size of the email message, an email recipient preference, email folder hierarchy data, a rule for filtering of the email message, an identification of an email recipient, a globally unique identifier of the email message, and a timestamp of when the email header was last modified.

57. The email transmission as defined in claim 53, wherein each said email message and said email header include a unique identifier for an email recipient.

60. The protocol host computing device as defined in claim 54, wherein:

the email includes a unique identifier for one of a plurality of email recipients; and

the method further comprising;

means for inserting, retrieving, modifying, and deleting email data at each of;

the plurality of email 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.

58. A protocol host computing device comprising:

a fixed storage 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; and

means for transmitting the email message 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.

59. The protocol host computing device as defined in claim 58, further comprising:

means for receiving the email; and

means for retrieving an address for each of the email header host computing devices and for each of the message host computing devices.

61. The protocol host computing device as defined in claim 58, wherein each said means for transmitting performs a transmission using a messaging protocol by which consistency in the email header is maintained between the plurality of header host computing devices.