Mike, et al. --
 
Based upon my own internal reference points, I think
it is a mistake to _strictly depend upon_ e-mail (or the
network) for life and death, disaster, property-loss
situations.  The "network" is as weak as its weakest link
(or process).  There are just too many fingers in this pie.
 
Assistance in debugging network problems OFTEN comes from
folks on LSTOWN-L -- your fellow list-owners like Melvin,
Eric, Douglas, Roger, Norm.
 
Here is something I posted a "long" time ago.  I don't
thing anything has changed.
 
/Pete Weiss at Penn State
 
-----------
 
Date:         Mon, 19 Jun 1995 16:09:00 EDT
x-Reply-To:     LISTSERV list owners' forum <[log in to unmask]>
x-Sender:       LISTSERV list owners' forum <[log in to unmask]>
From:         "Peter M. Weiss +1 814 863 1843" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:      Overview: Electronic Mail Delivery
Comments: To: [log in to unmask]
 
(Permission granted to reprint, though you might want
to edit for your specific installation.  PMW1)
 
Determining failure locations in electronic mail requires
an understanding of numerous network functions and layers.
Often times, that is the work of an e-mail postmaster.
Most e-mail sites support a generic e-mail address of
[log in to unmask]  The job of postmaster is often done
as an 'other duty as assigned' or in rare instances,
not at all.
 
As you will see, e-mail just doesn't "happen" but is the
result of a complex interaction of computer processes.
 
In general, the ability to successfully transmit electronic
mail (e-mail) from a LAN-based system is due to the proper
administrating and functioning of:
 
1) the client software -- typically a package like Eudora
installed on a workstation
 
2) your office/department LAN as operated by your system
administrator
 
3) a mail gateway/server such as that operated by the
Center for Academic Computing
 
4) a data backbone such as that operated by the Office
of Telecommunications, and those of external service
providors
 
5) the Domain Name System such as operated by a number of
inter-dependent host sites including the Office of
Telecommunications, many times in conjunction with other
departments and/or external institutions or individuals
 
6) the proper operation of telecommunication circuits
usually operated by local exchange and long distance
carriers
 
7) the proper administration of any name (userid) lookup
schemes which is controlled by both system administrators
and mail users such as operated on PSU.EDU (PH) facilities
 
8) the proper operation of the receiving mail server
such as that operated by the Office of Administrative
Systems aka oas.psu.edu
 
9) the proper administration of the receiver's mail
box, as impacted by various security software, as
well as the receiver him/herself (not allowing the
mail-box to overflow)
 
 
(When e-mail is sent to a LISTSERV-based list, the
delivery mechanisms are even more complex.  Fortunately,
there are personnel at Penn State who can help trace
that flow.)
 
/Pete Weiss,
[log in to unmask]
 
--  co-owner INFOSYS, TQM-L, CPARK-L, ERAPPA-L, JANITORS, LDBASE-L, et -L
[log in to unmask]        "I get paid by the Byte"        +1 814 863 1843
31 Shields Bldg. --   Penn State    -- University Park, PA 16802-1202 USA