OIT seeks solution to e-mail disruptions

Students, faculty and administrators attempting to check their e-mail in the past few weeks may have noticed problems logging onto the University's web-server.

The problems, which have been occurring sporadically for several months, have increased drastically during the last ten days — enough so that many students have intermittently lost access.

Dan Oberst, director of the Office of Information Technology Enterprise Services, said peak usage, the times when problems are most frequent, occurs around 11 a.m., as faculty and students log on for the first time during the day, as well as following lunch.

The problem may lie partly in the volume of mail during peak hours, he said.

Currently, the University uses a SUN e-mail server, and OIT is working to install a second server. The new server will cost more than $100,000 and is expected to ease the workload generated by the high volume of e-mail transferred over the approximately 15,000 e-mail accounts on the network, Oberst said.

OIT already has the additional server on campus but is waiting for a lull in mail traffic to get it up and running. OIT is currently planning to install the machine during spring break.

The actual source of the system's problem remains a small mystery.

Oberst said he doubts either hardware problems or a virus are responsible, suspecting instead software or timing issues between index files and the mailer daemon, a program that mediates interaction between a user and his mail files.

Using a more traditional analogy, Oberst explained the way the system works — and the reason no mail has been lost. He compared the e-mail server to a post-office, with a door to receive mail and a door to let patrons enter, only the entrance door jams occasionally, he said, though the server receives mail without interruption.

"We did put some changes in this afternoon [that have] gotten rid of some of the problems" he said. "Knock on wood."

Webmail has been moved to another server, which should improve service on that program.

Nick Lee '05 described the lapses in e-mail accessibility as "incredibly frustrating.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

"I missed some assignments that I had to do for early classes this morning."

A bulletin posted on the University's homepage contains a link to the OIT's helpdesk, at www.helpdesk.princeton.edu/home. A short letter, from Oberst, explains OIT's response to the problem and, for those interested in its specific technical aspects, current theories about the problem's identity and possible solutions.

As Oberst explained, fixing the system is a lot like trial-and-error detective work. "Trying this, trying that," he said, "the important thing is that we don't lose any files."