Use Spam Management Tools - to reduce the amount of spam in your inbox Yale's incoming mail servers will "tag" messages coming from known spam sending sources. These "tags" can be used to filter such messages away from your inbox.
Don't send your own spam - Approval is needed to send a message to large groups within the university. ITS staff can help obtain the appropriate approvals and help organize and send bulk messages.
Never buy something sent to you in unsolicited email – it only takes one person to make the spam worthwhile.
Newer versions of the most popular email software have their own junk mail controls (e.g., Eudora 6.0, Netscape 7.1 and Microsoft Outlook 2003.)

Best Tips for Effective and Sensible Email Use

Email has become one of the most common ways for people to communicate quickly. But immediacy has its problems. Knowing how to use email sensibly will help everyone get their work done more efficiently.

For messages received ---

Investigate Spam Management Tools (see previous article) - Remove spam messages from your inbox before you see them. Spam management tools detect and move junk mail away from your inbox into another folder that you may access if you wish. Read more...
Create Folders - Keep your incoming mail, sent mail, and trash folders small. These folders get big in a hurry and the bigger a file is the slower it responds. Simply file messages in other folders that you create. For example, organize messages by month, project or sender. Pick one system and try it. If it doesn't work, you can easily try another system. Remember - huge folders will cause significant problems down the road. Read more...
Use the "sort" function – Sorting your messages is very handy when trying to find a particular message you may have received earlier. Most email programs include easy ways to sort by sender, by date/time, and by subject. But did you know that you can sort by message size or separate those messages with attachments from those without?
Never send quick responses to emotional emails - Communication of emotions in email often goes awry. When you receive email that seems emotional, take a second look. Most importantly, don't fire off an angry response. Your response could be just as misconceived as your interpretation.

For messages sent ---

Use the subject line – Most email software does not show the entire subject line so get the important bits up front. If you want someone to review something, for example, your subject line could be "Please Review --- Draft new account message". If instead, you are simply sharing some information that they may be interested in, use something like "FYI --- New account message". These quite specific subject lines help your readers decide how to prioritize the messages in their inbox.
Do not send messages as "high priority" - Incoming messages are usually opened on the basis of the sender’s address, subject line and time delivered. Rarely are messages sorted based on the priority assigned by the senders and asserting a priority on someone else's messages is just bad form.
Check the recipient’s address - Email is often misaddressed, so the best plan is not to use email if the message is sensitive. Encryption services are available if you must send information securely. Read more...

For both receiving and sending ---

Email programs are not all the same – If your software makes doing something difficult, try another program. Your local support person would be happy to provide you with additional information about other email applications.

For further infomation, please contact Lynna Jackson, ITS Support - Email and Calendaring Services

Central Backup Service Efficiency Improved

In order to manage more efficiently the rapidly growing needs of data storage, the Central Backup Service has updated the list of files that are excluded from the nightly backup. This process began with a new exclude strategy for PCs running the Microsoft Windows operating system which went into effect on December 1, 2003. Excluded files include application software and Windows system files that can be easily restored by your IT Service Providers from original media.

During the winter a similar exclude policy for Macintosh and Linux/Unix operating systems is being developed and will be implemented.

N.B. All personal settings and data will continue to be backed up.

Online Network Traffic

What day of the week has the slowest network traffic? Click on the graph below and find out ...

'Weekly' Graph (Daily Averages)

Upgraded Services

The Yale ePortal now features direct access to IBM products
Eudora 6 is available for download (administrative users, see PC Amigo)
DNO is in the process of moving networks to a new core router for faster data mangement.

Short Announcements

Subscribe to The Circuit...and we'll notify you of the newest edition
New ITS Network Services Dept. - ITS Data Network Operations (DNO )and Telecom merged in Dec. 2003 to become ITS Network Services.
New Yale Administrators Web Directory merges the Business Office Yellow Pages and the Business Managers' Jump Page providing one-stop shopping.

IT News Outside ITS

Copyright and Fair Use - rules of thumb for how to tell what's legal
View the Library's online exhibits
Digital Collections at the Yale Library
Library Map Collection Dept.has a new Geog. Info. Syst. (GIS) service for teaching and research with online mapping - see Historical New Haven.
Subscribe to LibraryNews-L to receive periodic email about news from the Yale University Library.
Center for Language Study - resources for 2003

ITS Bits & Bytes

23,000 email accounts at Yale
500,000 - 1,000,000 messages handled per day
99.8% email system reliability

Last modified 02.10.04
Certifying authority: The Circuit
URL: http://www.yale.edu/circuit