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Spool Overview

The email spool is a list of emails, in order of when they are created, that are available for the server to send out to other mail servers or to deliver locally. Within the Spool Overview section, administrators can monitor a dashboard of common aspects of the email spool, including message activity, top outbound senders, top inbound domains and more. In addition to reviewing the spool activity, Administrators can take action on any messages that are currently being held in the spool. For example, a sending IP address that is inundating the mail server with unwanted messages can be blocked, thereby preventing issues from becoming problems for email users.

And while monitoring the spool regularly is good practice, the Overview section is extremely helpful should the mail server become compromised as you can easily spot a compromised account, block the sender and delete the unnecessary messages. The overview dashboard provides a real-time look at a mail server's activity, refreshing every 20 seconds, so administrators always know what's going on.

Spool Processing

By default, SmarterMail has a three (3) second loop for messages processed across the various queues in the spool. (I.e., spam checks, local deliveries, remote deliveries.) However, messages are processed, and move between spam checks and delivery queues, at random times. Therefore, the "3 second loop" may or may not be strictly enforced and is independent of when the message arrives in the spool. If a message is ready for the next step in the process when it hits a particular queue (e.g., spam checks) it will move on to the next queue (e.g., local delivery). If it isn't ready, it will be checked the next time that queue is processed. So any delays noted in logs can be different as a result.

Message Activity

This section displays the total number of messages that have been sent by, or delivered to, all users, including local and remote deliveries. From this table, see how many messages were sent in the last 5 minutes, last hour, last 24 hours and since the time the server was last started (or restarted.)

Top Outbound Senders

This section displays the users with the highest number of outbound remote deliveries (for the specified time intervals). Note: The message count does not include local deliveries sent user-to-user. The following actions can be performed on each user included in the table:

  • Manage User - Select this option to log in and impersonate the actual user. Impersonating the user allows you to check all of their settings and includes Domain settings if the user is a domain administrator. So if the user appears to be compromised, it can be disabled after due diligence is performed.
  • Change Password - Select this option to change the password for a user. Changing the password is an ideal option when resolving a compromised account.
  • Drop Connections - Select this option to end the user's connection(s) via webmail and different syncing protocols, including SMTP, IMAP, POP, XMPP and EAS, and MAPI/EWS.
  • Disable User - Select this option to immediately disable the user. This action utilizes the User Status setting found when editing a user. When a user is disabled within the Spool Overview, their User Status will be set to ‘Disable and Allow Mail'. This prevents the user from sending outbound messages or accessing webmail; however, the mailbox will continue to receive incoming email. Enabling a user in the Spool Overview will adjust the setting in the user's settings and vice versa.
  • Delete Messages - Select this option to permanently delete the messages sent by the user that are currently in the spool. Note: This will only delete messages that are CURRENTLY being held in the spool.
  • Move Messages - Select this option to move the messages sent by the user that are currently held in the spool to another folder on the server. Use the default path provided or enter any folder path on the server. Moving the .eml files to their own folder on the server is useful because it allows an administrator to review the messages before taking actions against them.

Note: In general, this table will display SmarterMail user accounts only. However, there may be cases where remote email addresses appear, including when the email address is authenticated with a local account, the sending IP address is listed in the SMTP Authentication Bypass list, SmarterMail is acting as an inbound gateway, or messages were manually dropped into the spool with sender addresses that don't exist locally. In these instances, the Manage User and Disable User actions cannot be performed as the accounts are not within SmarterMail.

Top Outbound IP Addresses

This section displays the IP addresses that have sent the highest number of outbound, remote deliveries (for the time intervals specified). The following actions can be performed on each IP address included in the table:

  • Blacklist - Select this option to block the IP address from sending messages to the server. When an IP address is blacklisted from the spool, an entry will be added to the Blacklist found in the Security section. The IP address will be blocked on SMTP only, and the entry will be denoted as having been blocked from the spool. Unblocking an IP address in the spool will remove the Blacklist entry in Security settings and vice versa.
  • Delete Messages - Select this option to permanently delete all outbound messages sent from the IP address that are currently in the spool. Note: This will only delete messages that are CURRENTLY being held in the spool.
  • Move Messages - Select this option to move all the outbound messages sent from the IP address that are currently held in the spool to another folder on the server. Use the default path provided or enter any folder path on the server. Moving the .eml files to their own folder on the server is useful because it allows an administrator to review the messages before taking actions against them.

Top Inbound Recipients

This section displays the users (local user accounts) who have received the highest number of incoming messages (for the time intervals specified). Both local and remote deliveries are included in the message count. This allows administrators to know which accounts on the server are receiving the most mail. The following actions can be performed on each user included in the table:

  • Manage User - Select this option to log in and impersonate the actual user. Impersonating the user allows you to check all of their settings. Impersonating the user allows you to check all of their settings and includes Domain settings if the user is a domain administrator. So if the user appears to be compromised, it can be disabled after due diligence is performed.
  • Change Password - Select this option to change the password of a user's account. Changing the password is an ideal option when resolving a compromised account.
  • Drop Connections - Select this option to end the user's connection(s) via webmail and different syncing protocols, including SMTP, IMAP, POP, XMPP and ActiveSync.
  • Delete Messages - Select this option to permanently delete all of the inbound messages sent to the user that are currently in the spool. Note: This will only delete messages that are CURRENTLY being held in the spool.
  • Move Messages - Select this option to move a user's inbound messages that are currently held in the spool to another folder on the server. Use the default path provided or enter any folder path on the server. Moving the .eml files to their own folder on the server is useful because it allows an administrator to review the messages before taking actions against them.

Top Inbound Senders

This section displays the email addresses that have sent the highest number of messages to users on the server (for the time intervals specified). The following actions can be performed on each email address included in the table:

  • Block Inbound SMTP - Select this option to block all incoming mail sent from the email address. This action utilizes SMTP Blocking found in the Security section. When an email address is blocked within the spool, an entry will be added to the SMTP Blocks list for incoming email and the entry will be denoted as having been blocked from the spool. Unblocking an email address in the spool will remove the SMTP block and vice versa.
  • Delete Messages - Select this option to permanently delete all inbound messages sent from the email address that are currently in the spool. Note: This will only delete messages that are CURRENTLY being held in the spool.
  • Move Messages - Select this option to move all the inbound messages sent from the email address that are currently held in the spool to another folder on the server. Use the default path provided or enter any folder path on the server. Moving the .eml files to their own folder on the server is useful because it allows an administrator to review the messages before taking actions against them.

Top Inbound IP Addresses

This section displays the IP addresses that have sent the highest number of messages to users on the server (for the time intervals specified). The following actions can be performed on each IP address included in the table:

  • Blacklist IP - Select this option to block the IP address from sending messages to the server. When an IP address is blacklisted within the spool, an entry will be added to the Blacklist found in the Security section. The IP address will be blocked on SMTP only, and the entry will be denoted as having been blocked from the spool. Unblocking an IP address in the spool will remove the Blacklist entry in Security settings and vice versa.
  • Delete Messages - Select this option to permanently delete all inbound messages sent from the IP address that are currently in the spool. Note: This will only delete messages that are CURRENTLY being held in the spool.
  • Move Messages - Select this option to move all the inbound messages sent from the IP address that are currently held in the spool to another folder on the server. Use the default path provided or enter any folder path on the server. Moving the .eml files to their own folder on the server is useful because it allows an administrator to review the messages before taking actions against them.

Top Inbound Domains

This section displays the domains that have sent the highest number of messages to users on the server (for the time intervals specified). The following actions can be performed on each domain included in the table:

  • Block Inbound SMTP - Select this option to block all incoming mail sent from the domain. This action utilizes SMTP Blocking found in the Security section. When a domain is blocked within the spool, an entry will be added to the SMTP Blocks list for incoming email, and the entry will be denoted as having been blocked from the spool. Note: This action does not block on the EHLO Domain. Instead, it uses the Email Address field and enters only the domain. Unblocking a domain in the spool will remove the SMTP block and vice versa.
  • Delete Messages - Select this option to permanently delete all inbound messages sent from the domain that are currently in the spool. Note: This will only delete messages that are CURRENTLY being held in the spool.
  • Move Messages - Select this option to move all the inbound messages sent from the domain that are currently held in the spool to another folder on the server. Use the default path provided or enter any folder path on the server. Moving the .eml files to their own folder on the server is useful because it allows an administrator to review the messages before taking actions against them.
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