e-Messaging Solution Architecture
e-Messaging Web
The e-Messaging Solution is based on a Model, View, Controller (MVC) architecture. The web makes up the View component, providing a web-based interface to users. Security (authentication and authorization) is applied at the web layer for each incoming web request, and an optional LDAP server is used to store user authentication and authorization data.
The web component generates dynamic web pages with data provided by the core component (Controller). These pages provide English and Spanish language support out-of-the-box. Additional resource bundles are available for different language support. The style and layout of the user interface is customizable by professional services. The e-Messaging Solution includes interfaces for the following:
Configuration
- e-Messaging Solution
- User management, user groups, and roles–internal or through LDAP
- Inbound profiles
- Outbound profiles
- Data flow (data preparation) controls
- DOC1 (content formatting) controls
- Scheduling
- Gateways (email and SMS)
Built-in workflow and external integration for:
- Content conversion
- Indexing
- Managing bounced messages
- Responding to messages
Filtered graphic reporting
- Messages by job, profile, or individual
- Sent
- Bounced (temporary and permanent)
- Replied to
- Message response handling status/workflow
- User groups
- Audit
- Error
e-Messaging Core
The e-Messaging Core is the central controller of the e-Messaging Solution, providing key functions for the processing of both outbound and inbound messages.
e-Messaging Data
The e-Messaging Core uses a data access layer that stores and retrieves data from a relational database management system (RDBMS), forming the Model component in the MVC architecture. Though not shown as a separate box in the architecture diagram, this data access layer uses object relational mapping (ORM) technology to store and retrieve data in a RDBMS.
Outbound Message Processing
The e-Messaging Core uses the Outbound component to manage the preparation of data, message formatting, and message sending. The Outbound component orchestrates the different processes required for:
- Data preparation and formatting — data flow plans can be triggered from e-Messaging as part of messaging campaigns
- Message formatting — DOC1 applications can be triggered from e-Messaging to format message content
- Post process formating — post composition processes can be triggered by e-Messaging to manipulate content that has been formatted by DOC1 prior to the content being sent
The Core component coordinates between Outbound and Remote. This allows Data Flow and DOC1 Generate processes to be managed on either the same physical server as the e-Messaging Core, or on a separate server. Post process formatting is expected to be performed on the same server as the Message Formatting.
The Outbound component detects files or content in polled directories that require sending, and includes a scheduling component to automatically trigger email or SMS campaigns at specific dates and times. The e-Messaging Solution supports sending of messages in both batch and real-time modes.
For archiving outbound messages, the e-Messaging Solution accesses the download folder of an e2 Vault instance. The Core component coordinates with the Outbound component to take care of batching up content into “collections” and providing e2 Vault with batched content and the required index values to store content in an efficient and compressed manner.
Outbound Content Converter
The e-Messaging solution provides a content conversion service to convert the content of outbound messages to a more appropriate format for archiving, such as PDF. Open Office is leveraged to handle PDF conversion and the Javamail API is used for converting HTML to MHT–embedding images for version control.
Outbound Mail Servers
The e-Messaging Solution uses Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) for sending outbound email. The messages can be retrieved with an e-mail client using either POP or IMAP, allowing the e-Messaging Solution to interface with any mail servers that provide SMTP support.
After message content is composed, the e-Messaging Solution takes care of packaging the message headers and bodies into the correct format for the required email or SMS delivery. The header information comes from two sources: an XML journal provided by DOC1, and profile settings configured in the e-Messaging Core. This provides maximum flexibility personalizing subject lines and attachment filenames on a message-by-message basis.
Outbound Email
The e-Messaging Solution supports formatting and sending the following email formats:
- Plain text email (text/plain)
- HTML email (text/html)
- With images embedded or referenced externally
- Multipart/alternative email with a text display when the email client does not support HTML, and a HTML display when it does.
- Attachments to any of the above email formats, via:
- PDF attachment formatted by DOC1
- CSV attachment formatted by Data Flow or 3rd party system
- XLS attachment formatted by Data Flow or 3rd party system
- XML attachment formatted by Data Flow or 3rd party system
Outbound SMS
The e-Messaging Solution supports formatting and sending single Short Message Service (SMS) messages. By default, the e-Messaging Solution uses the SMTP interface by Clickatell to send SMS messages. For receiving SMS messages, the e-Messaging Solution provides an HTTP interface with Clickatell. However, the e-Messaging Solution can be extended or enhanced to support alternative SMS service providers that have SMTP-based interfaces.
Inbound Message Processing
The e-Messaging Core uses the Inbound component to manage bounced message reports and messages that require archiving in e2 Vault.
The Inbound component processes messages received by the e-Messaging Solution. Received messages could be messages that require archiving into e2 Vault or be Delivery Status Notifications reporting on messages sent by the Outbound component that could not be delivered. The Inbound component also takes care of associating inbound messages with outbound messages sent by the e-Messaging Solution so that reports can be provided on bounced messages and message replies.
The Core component coordinates with the Inbound component to call the e2 Renderer API to automatically index inbound messages wherever possible. When automatic indexing is disabled or not possible, the e-Messaging Solution presents an operator with a drop-down list of index options so that messages are still indexed with the minimum of clicks and human intervention.
For archiving inbound messages, the e-Messaging Solution accesses the download folder of an e2 Vault instance. The Core component coordinates with the Inbound component to take care of batching up content into “collections” and providing e2 Vault with batched content and the required index values to store content in an efficient and compressed manner.
Inbound Content Converter
The e-Messaging Solution provides a content conversion service so that the content of inbound messages can be converted to a more appropriate format, such as PDF, for archiving. Open Office is leveraged to handle PDF conversion and the Javamail API is used for converting HTML to MHT. It is possible to configure the e-Messaging solution to convert all content or only convert selected content types to PDF prior to archiving. This ensures that message content can be retrieved and viewed from business applications without the need for any specialized viewers.
The e-Messaging Solution also supports the handling (extraction) of files contained in ZIP attachments and Rich Text Emails sent by Outlook. For Rich Text emails, Outlook uses Microsoft’s proprietary Transport Neutral Encapsulation Format (TNEF) encoding which most email solutions, other than Outlook, are unable to handle.
Inbound Mail Servers
The e-Messaging Solution accesses email messages via Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3) or Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP). It is possible to process messages sent to CustomerService@Company.com style email addresses, however, it is equally possible to set up forwarding rules on the mail server to forward messages to or from specified accounts, sometimes called “email journaling”.
By default the e-Messaging Solution receives inbound SMS messages using an HTTP-based callback URL. However, the e-Messaging Solution can be further extended or enhanced with other options such as receiving SMS by email.