Messaging system configurator

An article of manufacture comprising at least one machine readable memory device storing instructions, wherein, when the instructions are executed by at least one processor of a home server node of a messaging system, the messaging system comprising the home server node and a plurality of correspondent nodes, the correspondent nodes being connected to the home server node via a network, the instructions configure the at least one processor to

• obtain from each node of a plurality of nodes of the messaging system at least a portion of current configuration information of said each node;
• generate an editable configuration file comprising the portions of the current configuration information obtained from the plurality of nodes, wherein the editable configuration file is generated after the portion of the current configuration information of said each node is obtained from said each node;
• present the editable configuration file to at least one administrator to allow the at least one administrator to provide one or more edits to the editable configuration file, wherein the editable configuration file is presented to the at least one administrator after the editable configuration file is generated;
• store the editable configuration file after the editable configuration file is generated and before the editable configuration file is presented to the at least one administrator;
• receive from the at least one administrator the one or more edits to the editable configuration file, in response to the at least one administrator being presented with the editable configuration file to allow the at least one administrator to provide the one or more edits;
• change the editable configuration file in accordance with the one or more edits to make an updated configuration file comprising updated configuration information, wherein the editable configuration file is changed in accordance with the one or more edits to make the updated configuration file after the one or more edits are received from the at least one administrator;
• configure the messaging system in accordance with the updated configuration information in the updated configuration file, wherein the messaging system is configured in accordance with the updated configuration information in the updated configuration file after the editable configuration file is changed in accordance with the one or more edits to make the updated configuration file;
• and
• send from the home server of the networked messaging system to the correspondent server of the networked messaging system a request to assign a mailbox identifier to a new mailbox of a particular type in accordance with mailbox numbering rules of the correspondent server;
• wherein:
• mailbox numbering rules are not consistent across all nodes of the networked messaging system;
• and
• at least one file selected from the group consisting of the editable configuration file and the updated configuration file comprises first mailbox data defining and numbering one or more mailboxes of one or more human users of the networked messaging system, each mailbox of the one or more mailboxes being configured to store messages for a human user associated with said each mailbox.

A computer implemented method of configuring a networked messaging system, the method comprising:

• a step for obtaining from each node of a plurality of nodes of the networked messaging system at least a portion of current configuration information of said each node;
• generating an editable configuration file comprising the portions of the current configuration information obtained from the plurality of nodes;
• presenting the editable configuration file to at least one administrator to allow the at least one administrator to provide one or more edits to the editable configuration file;
• storing the editable configuration file after the step of generating and before the step of presenting;
• receiving from the at least one administrator one or more edits to the editable configuration file, in response to the step of presenting;
• changing the editable configuration file in accordance with the one or more edits to make an updated configuration file comprising updated configuration information;
• sending from a home server of the networked messaging system to a correspondent server of the networked messaging system an inquiry whether a new mailbox of a particular type with a particular mailbox identifier is consistent with mailbox numbering rules of the correspondent server;
• and
• a step for configuring the networked messaging system in accordance with the updated configuration information in the updated configuration file;
• wherein:
• at least one file selected from the group consisting of the editable configuration file and the updated configuration file comprises first mailbox data defining and numbering one or more mailboxes of one or more human users of the networked messaging system, each mailbox of the one or more mailboxes being configured to store messages for a human user associated with said each mailbox;
• the step of generating is performed after the step for obtaining, the step of presenting is performed after the step of generating, the step of receiving is performed after the step of presenting, the step of changing is performed after the step of receiving, and the step for configuring is performed after the step of changing;
• mailbox numbering rules are not consistent across all nodes of the networked messaging system;
• and
• the step for obtaining, the step for configuring, the step of generating, the step of presenting, the step of receiving, and the step of changing are performed by at least one computer.

A networked messaging system comprising a first node and a plurality of second nodes, wherein the first node is configured to

• obtain from each node of the plurality of second nodes at least a portion of current configuration information of said each node of the plurality of second nodes;
• generate an editable configuration file comprising the portions of the current configuration information obtained from the plurality of second nodes;
• present the editable configuration file to at least one administrator to allow the at least one administrator to provide one or more edits to the editable configuration file;
• store the editable configuration file after the editable configuration file is generated and before the editable configuration file is presented to the at least one administrator;
• receive from the at least one administrator one or more edits to the editable configuration file, in response to the at least one administrator being presented with the editable configuration file to allow the at least one administrator to provide the one or more edits;
• change the editable configuration file in accordance with the one or more edits to make an updated configuration file comprising updated configuration information;
• send from a home server of the networked messaging system to a correspondent server of the networked messaging system an inquiry whether a new mailbox of a particular type with a particular mailbox identifier is consistent with mailbox numbering rules of the correspondent server;
• and
• configure the networked messaging system in accordance with the updated configuration information in the updated configuration file;
• wherein:
• at least one file selected from the group consisting of the editable configuration file and the updated configuration file comprises first mailbox data defining and numbering one or more mailboxes of one or more human users of the networked messaging system, each mailbox of the one or more mailboxes being configured to store messages for a human user associated with said each mailbox;
• the editable configuration file is generated after the portion of the current configuration information of said each node is obtained from said each node;
• the editable configuration file is presented to the at least one administrator after the editable configuration file is generated;
• the editable configuration file is changed in accordance with the one or more edits to make the updated configuration file after the on or more edits are received from the at least one administrator;
• mailbox numbering rules are not consistent across all nodes of the networked messaging system;
• and
• the messaging system is configured in accordance with the updated configuration information in the updated configuration file after the editable configuration file is changed in accordance with the one or more edits to make the updated configuration file.