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List:       list-managers
Subject:    Re: Mailing all users?
From:       Tony Fathers <a.fathers () uws ! edu ! au>
Date:       1997-11-19 23:27:08
Message-ID: 3.0.5.32.19971120102708.00873c20 () hotel ! uws ! edu ! au
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>Previously Linda Richardson wrote -
>> I wondered what other policies sites have with regard to users sending 
>> to 'all users'.   We have disabled this function, but are frequently 
>> asked to send to 'all students' or 'all staff' or both.   On the 
>> odd occasions that we do mass mailings our mail server suffers, 

We have similar problems and have largely solved it by:

publishing an "all-users" bulletin twice a week - all mail posted to the
all address is compiled into the bulletin, which is posted in the dead of
night when server use is low.  This list is moderated - no-one can post
without approval. Membership is compulsory for staff.

providing a "general all users" list which runs on a special script - this
list is not moderated and any svbscriber can post at any time, unsvbs are
allowed.  The script batches email and processes it in batches of 20 at a
time, until all svbscribers are reached.  It may take several hours for the
message to be propagated to all, but the load on the server is minimal.

The only problems occur when senior staff insist that their message is
urgent and must go separately, and during the day.  We warn them, but it is
guaranteed to kill services for up to two hours.  Fortunately, most are
reasonable, and are happy for me to manually approve the email to be sent
out of hours.


Regards

Tony Fathers				ph: 02 4570 1836
Network Officer				fax: 02 4588 5867
University of Western Sydney			mobile: 0414 619 778
http://www.hawkesbury.edu.au/~anthonyf		email: a.fathers@uws.edu.au

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