In our previous post we discussed the email round-trip monitoring level as the best solution for prevention of email outages. Today we will dig a little deeper and see the possible scenarios which the email round-trip test can follow. Let me clarify what the email round-trip test actually does.

First, our monitoring agent connects to the SMTP server that you have specified or retrieved automatically through the MX records and sends a test message. By doing this, our system verifies that your SMTP server is working properly. Next, the agent will try to log into the POP3/IMAP server and retrieve the message. If the message is received, the test will be considered successful and the message will be deleted. If, on the other hand, the message is not found in the mailbox after a certain period, which is configurable and usually between 5 and 15 minutes, the check will be considered a failure and you will be alerted.

Since you are reading this blog I can safely assume that you already know how e-mail works. The main problem occurs when it doesn’t. And it doesn’t matter whether you are running a business or running an errand – if your e-mail is not working, you are losing information. The truth is that most businesses experience at least one e-mail outage every year and this downtime, combined with the recovery costs can add up to hundreds and even thousands of dollars.

But what causes the e-mail outages?

There are many reasons why an e-mail system can stop functioning, but at a first glance the e-mail outages can be planned and unplanned.

With the Hurricane season upon us, it is vital to be up to speed with the current forecasts. In such times, these details can literally be a lifesaver. So, as a part of our contribution to the online community, for a sixth straight year we will be providing free monitoring and alerts to some of the most popular websites that keep their users informed with real-time forecasts, emergency information and donation opportunities when hurricanes, floods, and other natural or man-caused disasters occur.

The reports will reflect the most common performance criteria: response time and availability. In-depth analytical information will also be collected and stored in the WebSitePulse system for future reference. You can find the detailed daily results from the Hurricane Season Web Performance and Uptime Report here.