SocketLabs, Suppression lists

SocketLabs Suppression Lists

Overview

SocketLabs is an email delivery service used by TeamDynamix (TDX) and other applications across the University of Illinois to send system-generated email notifications.

When an email cannot be delivered to a recipient because the address is invalid or inaccessible, SocketLabs may add the email address to a suppression list. Once an address is suppressed, SocketLabs will no longer attempt to deliver email from that application to the address.

Email addresses placed on a suppression list are not automatically removed. Engineering IT Shared Services must manually remove the address from the appropriate suppression list before normal email delivery can resume.

How Email Addresses Are Added to a Suppression List

SocketLabs uses suppression lists to prevent applications from repeatedly sending messages to email addresses that consistently reject delivery.

If an email delivery attempt returns a 5XX Permanent Negative Completion SMTP response, SocketLabs may add the recipient's email address to the application's suppression list.

A common scenario at the University of Illinois occurs during the onboarding of new students and employees.

For example:

1. A new student or employee claims their NetID.
2. TeamDynamix creates or recognizes a user profile associated with their Illinois email address.
3. There may be a period during onboarding when their Exchange mailbox has not yet been fully provisioned.
4. The individual submits a ticket through TDX during this period.
5. TDX attempts to send an automated notification to their Illinois email address.
6. Because the Exchange mailbox is not yet available, the delivery attempt may return a 5XX SMTP error.
7. SocketLabs adds the email address to the TDX suppression list.

Once this occurs, future TDX email notifications will not be delivered to that address, even after the individual's Exchange mailbox becomes active.

What Happens When an Email Address Is Suppressed

When an email address is on a suppression list, SocketLabs does not attempt to deliver email to that address for the affected application.

For TDX, this can result in the requester not receiving:

• Ticket creation notifications
• Technician comments and updates
• Requests for additional information
• Resolution notifications
• Other email notifications generated by TDX

From the technician's perspective, TDX may appear to have generated the notification successfully. This can make it seem like the requester isn't responding when, in reality, the requester may not be receiving the messages.

Suppression Lists Are Application-Specific

SocketLabs manages suppression lists independently for each application. No single global suppression list covers every University service that uses SocketLabs.

For example, if an email address is suppressed for TeamDynamix, the Suppression affects only email generated through the TDX SocketLabs configuration.

Other University applications using SocketLabs may continue delivering messages to the same address unless the address has also been added to their respective suppression lists.

Therefore, receiving other University emails does not necessarily mean TDX notifications are being delivered.

How to Identify a Possible Suppression Issue

A suppression-list issue should be considered when:

• A requester reports that they are not receiving TDX ticket notifications.
• A requester is receiving other University email but not TDX notifications.
• Multiple ticket updates have been sent without a response from the requester.
• The requester recently joined the University or recently had their Illinois email account provisioned.

These conditions do not necessarily confirm that an address is suppressed, but they are indicators that the suppression list should be checked.

How to Remove an Email Address From a Suppression List

Email addresses are never automatically removed from a SocketLabs suppression list.

Engineering IT Shared Services staff with appropriate SocketLabs access can search the available suppression lists to determine whether an email address has been suppressed.

If the address is found:

1. Confirm that the individual's Illinois email account is active and can receive email.
2. Identify the SocketLabs suppression list containing the address.
3. Remove the email address from the appropriate suppression list.
4. Confirm that the address is no longer listed.
5. If appropriate, send or generate a new TDX notification to verify successful delivery.

Removing an address from one application's suppression list does not remove it from suppression lists associated with other applications.

Requesting Assistance

If you believe an Illinois email address has been added to a SocketLabs suppression list or a customer reports that they are not receiving TDX notifications, contact Engineering IT Shared Services at engrit-help@illinois.edu.

When requesting assistance, include the affected email address and, when applicable, the associated TDX ticket number.