Cornell Optional Email Alias (COEA)

TSP Forum

September 20, 2006

What is COEA

• Allow certain users to receive email with an alias of their choosing based on their real name.

• Once sets up this alias it is theirs for as long as they want it. Guaranteed unique.

• This is completely optional. Most of our population receives email at <netid>@cornell.edu today and that will continue to work.

Why do we need COEA

• Replace existing fuzzy matching based on nickname and real name.

• Consistent email alias in addition to the netid.• More user friendly.• Improve email system efficiency.• Meets professional need of academic staff.

COEA Implementation

• Starting Fall ‘06• Staged roll-out

– Need to give folks who are using the old way a chance to preserve what they are using now. Approximately 2,000 users.

– Also want to give folks who forward email to their departmental system that uses a non-netid alias an opportunity to reserve that alias. Approximately 1,200 users.

– All staff with academic appointments (Faculty, Librarians, Research Associates, etc…).

Stakeholder Groups

• ITMC• COG• CCDs• FABIT

How will we implement COEA

• Namespace Criteria• COEA Interface• Review Process• Initial Rollout• Rollout Groupings

Namespace CriteriaSince a user’s email address reflects on Cornell we expect that a user’s email alias be name based. A number will be added to the end if the non-number version isn’t available (I.e. already taken). Via the COEA interface you will be presented with five choices:

• <Last Name> - Ex. ginsparg Mail would be sent to ginsparg@cornell.edu• <First Initial Last Name> - Ex. dmacleod Mail would be sent to

dmacleod@cornell.edu• <First Initial DOT Last Name> - Ex. j.howell3 Mail would be sent to

j.howell3@cornell.edu• <First Name Last Name> - Ex. richardmacdonald Mail would be sent to

richardmacdonald@cornell.edu• <First Name DOT Last Name> - Ex. polley.mcclure Mail would be sent to

polley.mcclure@cornell.edu

Note: Users will be allowed to change their COEA once, once an alias is used it will not be re-used. Additional changes will be treated as Special Requests.

Review Process

If a user isn’t satisfied with the list they are presented with via the COEA Interface they are free to request something else, but it should be based on their name. For example, someone with the first name of James may wish to request Jim (e.g. jim.howell). If user sends in a special request it will be reviewed and you will be sent an email letting you know if was accepted or not. Rejection emails will have the reason why.

Review Process Reviewed by CIT ATSUS staff. Escalation path (to be determined).

Initial Rollout

Given that some users have already been using a form of an email alias (via the nickname and real name fuzzy matching ), we need to give these users an opportunity to adapt. We also need to consider who will get first choice within the new system.

Many users will be able to make this switchover transparently. Some may not be able to use their old email alias because it does not conform to our new naming criteria/scheme.

Rollout Groupings

• Group 1– Users who have been using an email other than

<netid>@cornell.edu successfully. Analysis shows approximately 2,000 of these users.

– Users who forward their netid@cornell.edu email to a departmental machine. This will aid us in avoiding possible name collisions if a department that currently runs their own mail system decides to not do so in the future. Analysis shows approximately 1,200 of these users.

• Group 2

– All staff with academic appointments (Faculty, Librarians, Research Associates, etc…).

Rollout Groupings

After Group 2 there will be a one year evaluation. After a year there will be a review and a decision will be

made regarding whether or not to expand the program. This is the recommendation of the

stakeholder groups we have discussed this with.

COEA Summary

• Users will be able to choose an email alias that will be theirs permanently and guaranteed unique.

• “Fuzzy matching” (looking at the Nickname and Real Name attributes) will no longer work.

• Name insertion into headers will no longer happen since many clients now handle this.

• This service is completely optional. Receiving email at <netid>@cornell.edu will continue to work whether you setup a COEA or not.

Your questions, concerns and feedback…

Jim Howell - jwh2@cornell.edu