mail server transition

email – still having issues?

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If you are still having difficulty accessing your email, here are the primary issues that users expereince:

  • If all else fails, use TWIG (with your WINDOWS password)
  • Eudora Users – seem to have the have the most trouble. The best thing you can do is stop using Eudora. However, if you use Eudora you will most likely have to move past version 6.x to version 7.x – contact us because even then configuring Eudora is a real pain.
  • Be sure to use your WINDOWS password for mail, we no long have 2 separate passwords.
  • If you log into TWIG and notice that your Inbox is empty– don’t panic– pull down the drop down in the top left and you will find a mailbox named something like “Inbox-DATESTAMP’ – this contains the contents of your inbox prior to the mail server transition.
  • If you can receive mail, but not send it- you probably need to enable SSL for your outgoing mail and authenticate (use your windows username and password). In your email reading program there is usually an advanced tab for outgoing mail where this is checked. Port 25 is the preferred port for outgoing mail, though some clients set this to 465 when SSL is enabled. Both should work. Sending mail requires you to authenticate (provide a username password)
  • If you can’t send mail, be sure you have changed your password (some folks have saved it so that you need not enter it every time). This needs to be changed to your WINDOWS password.
  • If you do not know your windows password visit 2105NW to have it reset. If you are remote, call computer support at 2-0848 for assistance.
  • If you are using your WINDOWS password and still can’t receive mail- you may need to enable SSL for incoming mail. This basic setting
  • If you have any other issues, use TWIG to email support@chemistry.ohio-state.edu – once the minor initial configuration changes are fixed everyone will be set to enjoy the new mail server.

Mail Migration Complete

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As of 8:00 pm, I’ve completed transferring all old email messages from the chemistry server to the new mail server.  Please make sure you are using your Windows username and password to check your email now.

If you are having trouble locating your old email in Thunderbird or Outlook, use TWIG until we have a chance to update your client software settings.  Folders can be selected in TWIG using the Folders drop-down menu on the left side of the screen:

Your old Inbox messages can be found in the folder called Inbox-200910XX.  Select the folder from the drop-down menu on the left side of the screen, then click the GO button.  Repeat these steps to view other folders. (Screenshot)

TWIG: https://legacyweb.chemistry.ohio-state.edu/twig/

–Steve Fabian

Mail Migration Update

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As of 1:30 pm, old email messages have been transferred for 150 of 722 accounts.  These messages account for 85% of the total data that must be migrated to the new server (large accounts processed first).  I’m on target to have all old email messages transferred to the new server by Monday morning.

–Steve Fabian

Email Transition ?s – What about my iPhone?

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Q. What about accessing my email via my iPhone (or other mobile device) 
    after the transition?
 
A. If you currently have this set up- You shouldn't see any significant change 
    in the settings if that is the case. 

After the initial downtime is complete tonight you will be able to send and receive 
mail as normal. The standard folders like Inbox, Sent, Drafts, etc will be available 
(actual names may vary from those listed slightly). It may take a few days 
(will take a few days) to move over your other folders, so during this time you 
will not see them. If your existing mail folders (with a time stamp affixed to their 
name) do start to show up, resist using them until you receive an email confirmation
 from Computer Support that it is OK to do so to avoid any corruption by changing 
them while they are still being moved.
 
If you do not have access configured on a mobile device and need help doing so, 
contact support@chemistry.ohio-state.edu and we can instruct or assist you in this.

Email server transition – Tips & Issues

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A reminder that the email server is happening tomorrow- Friday, October 30th

Outage begins at 7pm.

You must use your Windows username/password to access email after this transition.

If all else fails, use TWIG. Check the Support Blog for status updates.

Here are some potential issues that might arise, but we will attempt to avoid:

  • Your account wasn’t migrated from chemistry to linuxfs, so email your wasn’t migrated. That is, your account closed by mistake.(you can confirm right now by trying to SSH to linxufs- ask for assistance if you need it)
  • You don’t know or recall your Windows username/password to login.(you can confirm right now by trying to SSH to linxufs- ask for assistance if you need it)
  • Email client is mis-configured, test your account with TWIG first!
  • Some of their mail folders are missing.(contact Computer Support if this is the case)
  • Some of their messages are damaged.(contact Computer Support if this is the case)
  • Their account was being forwarded before, but isn’t now.(contact Computer Support if this is the case) 
  • You’re account has been erroneously closed after you requested it remain open after leaving the department.(contact Computer Support if this is the case) 
  • Your include-lists no longer work, they weren’t migrated.(contact Computer Support if this is the case) 

If these or any other issues arise, please contact us. We’re migrating mail to improve your service and after correcting minor hiccups the department will be in a significantly better position to serve your IT needs.

Email server transition – TIPS

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Tips for ensuring that your experience with the mail server transition is as painless as possible:

  1. Users should NOT move any new email around, run their filters, or create new mail folders until:
    • You’ve received notice from Support that your account transfer has been completed.
    • You have confirmed that their old folders were transferred successfully – check all of your folders!
    • Why? Once new mail has been moved to old folders, it’s very difficult to correct migration problems with out data loss.
    • If at all possible, please wail until Monday before making radical changes to your email account structure.
  2. Watch the blog.  Send problems to Support, not to the Steves. This is the only way for us to ensure that your issue is addressed in a timely fashion.

Mail Transition ?s

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Q. What is IMAP prefix? You mentioned that in your email about the mail server transition.A.  “IMAP prefix” is a setting that sets the location to your mail storage folder on the Mail Server. Many people don’t set this at all- and it defaults to your home folder (something like /home/staff/mreed). This setting creates any non-INBOX mail folders in your home folder on CHEMISTRY (the Mail Server).Occasionly an employee will set this manually. Say, something like /home/staff/mreed/mymail to avoid cluttering up the home Unix/Linux folder. What follows is how you clear this setting (after Oct. 30th) and/or make sure it is already empty.

Thunderbird : How to Remove an IMAP Folder Prefix from your Mail Client

1. Open Thunderbird (log in to your account). From the menu bar along the top, select ‘Tools.’ From the pull-down menu that appears, select ‘Account Settings.’ (click images to see a larger view)

 screen-shot-2009-10-19-at-104021-am.png       screen-shot-2009-10-19-at-104527-am.png

2. Select on the ‘Server Settings’ option from the list on the left-hand side of the ‘Account Settings’ window.

screen-shot-2009-10-19-at-104540-am.png

3. Click on the ‘Advanced’ button. (For Mac users, select the ‘IMAP ‘ tab.)4. In the ‘Advanced’ screen, make sure that the ‘IMAP Server Directory’ field is blank or remove it as seen below.

screen-shot-2009-10-19-at-104556-am.png     screen-shot-2009-10-19-at-104605-am.png 

Reminder about Phishing Scams

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Since we have a planned upgrade to Mail services I thought this would be a good time to remind folks not to fall for Phishing Scams attempting to steal your email username and password. Emails like the following are not legitimate and you should ignore and delete them. If they do look legitimate, please email us and ask- we’re happy to help. In the rare event that we need to ask you to take some kind of action like this we will NEVER ask for your password, and we probably already have your username (your email address).Again, if in doubt- ask Computer Support before providing giving out any information.

Example of a scam attempt via email:

Dear Webmail Client,
This message is from our Web Support Team.
Account owners. On Friday, October 16, 2009, from 12:00 AM until 11:59 PM, all
Mailbox systems will undergo regularly scheduled maintenance.

Access to your e-mail via the Webmail client will be unavailable for sometime
during this maintenance window.
We are currently upgrading our data base and e-mail account center.
We are deleting all email account to create more space for new accounts.
To complete your  Webmail account, you must reply to this email immediately and
enter your CORRECT

First Name:
Middle Name:
Last Name:
Email Address:
Password:
Retype Password:
Date Of Birth:

immediately for upgrading, Failure to do this will immediately render your
Email address deactivated from our data base. Once we have updated your account
current records will be sent
your Online Account and your service will not be interrupted and will continue
working as normal. 

Thank you,
HelpDesk Web Support Team.

Mail Server Transitions questions

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Q. What do you mean about "time-stamped" folders? And Why?

A. The new mail server will be set up with new, clean folders (inbox, sent, drafts, trash, etc). 
Any existing mail you have on the old server needs to be moved over to the new server- 
So, to avoid any potential name collisions moved folders will be marked with a time stamp. 
This is true of all existing mail, not just Sent, Inbox, etc.

Your existing mail will be the only folders with time stamps- we're hoping that at your convenience
you can set up your preferred organizational structure on the new server.There has been little in 
standardization and quality control on mail services- both client and server side- over the last 
10 years. As such, things are a mess with many different naming conventions and no quota control- 
meaning there is more than 100 GB of existing mail to move. CHEMISTRY has a slow network card... 
so moving existing mail will take a long time. CHEMISTRY is on borrowed time- changing the network 
card could be disastrous. Mail is the final remaining use of this dying server.

It would be impossible for us to move existing mail while people are using the new mail server 
(writing to and syncing the same files/file system), so the alternative would be several days with 
no mail service at all. This was deemed unacceptable.


We're opting for least invasive, more cautious, and higher availability over maximum convenience.


Computer Support is open to conversations about the details, though as a team we've tried to think 
through all the possible ways to do this based on the current circumstances and mitigating the risk 
and hassle for users. Mail server transitions are the most complicated, exacerbated by user 
expectations for very little (if any) interruption of service.

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We'll post questions and answers here as people have them. Please feel free to ask.

IMPORTANT | mail server transition | OCT 30th – NOV 2nd

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All Faculty, Staff, and Students,

  Over the weekend of Oct 30th - Nov 2nd 
  Computer support will be transitioning to a NEW mail server. 
     
  HOW THIS AFFECTS YOU
  ====================
  * There will be a minor outage of mail 
    on Friday evening, Oct. 30th, after which
    mail services will resume.
    
  * You must remove an IMAP prefix from your
    mail client if you have set this - after Oct 30th.
    
  * Moving existing mail will take all weekend. 
    You won't see your old mail until it is moved,
    but you can send and receive mail normally.
    If you need priority scheduling for access
    to your existing mail due to time 
    sensitive work, please email support so we can 
    order our efforts appropriately.
    
  * Your old Mail will show up in a time-stampped
    folder. You may need to subscribe to this
    folder in your mail client.
    Example: 
    existing "Sent" folder will be named "Sent-20091031"
    
  * Your Trash and Deleted Items folders will
    not be moved to expedite this transition.
    
  * We will post additional helpful info on the blog
    at http://osuchemistry.info/ before the move- 
    contact us at support@chemistry.ohio-state.edu 
    if you have questions or if issues arise 
    after the transition is complete.
    
Thank you,
Computer Support