Method and system for processing email during an unplanned outage

A method for processing email during an unplanned outage comprising the steps of:

• managing users' email activity through a software application residing on a primary server;
• determining the email addresses that reside on said primary server;
• creating on a secondary server email addresses redundant to said email addresses that reside on said primary server;
• determining if said email addresses that reside on said primary server are detectable to inbound email messages;
• redirecting said inbound email messages addressed to said email addresses that reside on said primary server from said primary server to said email addresses that reside on said secondary server at such time as said email addresses that reside on said primary server are not detectable to said inbound email messages, thereby providing continuous access for said users' to said inbound email messages and a means for generating outbound email messages from said users' existing email address;
• notifying said users' that said email messages are available on said secondary server;
• assessing the time at which said email addresses that reside on said primary server are again detectable to said inbound email messages;
• redirecting said inbound email messages sent to said email addresses that reside on said secondary server from said secondary server to said email addresses that reside on said primary server after said time at which said email addresses that reside on said primary server are again detectable to inbound email messages;
• notifying said users' that said inbound email messages are again available on said primary server;
• and
• synchronizing said inbound email messages received on said secondary server from said time as said email addresses that reside on said primary server are not detectable to said inbound email messages until the time said email addresses that reside on said primary server are again detectable to inbound email messages with the existing messages in said software application, thereby completing the email message history within said software application.

A method for processing email during an unplanned outage comprising the steps of:

• using a software means for managing users' email;
• redirecting inbound email messages from a primary server to a secondary server when said primary server is unavailable;
• notifying said users that said step of redirecting inbound email messages has been implemented;
• providing said users with access to said email addresses on said secondary server while said primary server is unavailable;
• notifying users when said primary server is again available;
• and
• incorporating said email messages received while said primary server was unavailable into said software means for managing users' email so as to create a complete email history.