System, method, and computer program product for determining whether an electronic mail message is compliant with an etiquette policy

#The present invention relates to processing electronic mail messages, and more particularly to policy-based electronic mail message processing.

#Electronic mail messages have conventionally been utilized for communicating data over a network. Such electronic mail messages have oftentimes been processed based on policies, for ensuring the electronic mail messages comply with such policies. However, traditional policy-based electronic mail message processing has exhibited various limitations. Just by way of example, electronic mail messages have generally been limited to being processed based on security policies for ensuring security with respect to the electronic mail messages.

#There is thus a need for addressing these and/or other issues associated with the prior art.

#FIG. 1 illustrates a network architecture, in accordance with one embodiment.

#FIG. 2 shows a representative hardware environment that may be associated with the servers and/or clients of FIG. 1, in accordance with one embodiment.

#FIG. 3 shows a method for determining whether an electronic mail message is compliant with an etiquette policy, in accordance with one embodiment.

#FIG. 1 illustrates a network architecture 100, in accordance with one embodiment. As shown, a plurality of networks 102 is provided. In the context of the present network architecture 100, the networks 102 may each take any form including, but not limited to a local area network (LAN), a wireless network, a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet, peer-to-peer network, etc.

#Coupled to the networks 102 are servers 104 which are capable of communicating over the networks 102. Also coupled to the networks 102 and the servers 104 is a plurality of clients 106. Such servers 104 and/or clients 106 may each include a desktop computer, lap-top computer, hand-held computer, mobile phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), peripheral (e.g. printer, etc.), any component of a computer, and/or any other type of logic. In order to facilitate communication among the networks 102, at least one gateway 108 is optionally coupled therebetween.

#FIG. 2 shows a representative hardware environment that may be associated with the servers 104 and/or clients 106 of FIG. 1, in accordance with one embodiment. Such figure illustrates a typical hardware configuration of a workstation in accordance with one embodiment having a central processing unit 210, such as a microprocessor, and a number of other units interconnected via a system bus 212.